If I could give you just one piece of advice for getting the job you deserve and building a career you can be proud of, it would be this:

In this game, job offers and promotions do not go to the candidate who has the best skills or most experience, or the right attitude or aptitude.

These things are important, but they're not enough.

Everyone who has been in at least one interview knows that it’s all about how well you sell yourself, will determine whether or not they decide to hire you or not.

However there’s fine line between selling yourself and selling out.

Let's talk about the employment climate right now.         

As you may know, the unemployment rate is at an 11-year low.                 

This means, if you’re looking for a job, the competition will be a lot less than it was than a year or two ago so you have a better shot at landing the job you applied for. It also means that managers are under more pressure to offer a better salary and employment terms. This is great news for job seekers.                         

Last week, I received a reply to one of these Daily Success Boost emails from a guy -- let's call him Chris -- saying the following:                             

I have a new job, stop sending emails, Thanks for the tips.             

This is completely the wrong attitude.     

A member of our team told me about his friend.
            
Let's call him Mike.
            
Mike is a master's student. He just graduated in biotechnology. But in his state, there are no opportunities in this field.

Do you know Stephen King? If not, here’s a quick background. He is an author known for his horror, supernatural, suspense, science fiction and fantasy novels. He has sold more than 350 millions copies and many of his books adapted into films and tv shows.

He is one of the most famous authors of this generation and has taught us a lot over the years. One of which will talk about today.

Are you focusing on the right things in your job interview? Because where you focus can win or lose you the job offer. Let me explain.

Recently I spoke with a job seeker who had left a very frustrating job. She had been on several interviews and hadn’t gotten an offer.  And I discovered a pattern in her answers that led to these negative results.

Imagine this:

There’s a street BBQ happening on your street, and you’re chatting with a new couple who just moved in down the block. They’re articulate, successful entrepreneurs, they’re fun to be around, and they seem like exactly the kind of people you’d love to have as friends.

Everything’s going well, you’ve shared some laughs, and you know you’ve made a good impression.

I have a confession to make.

It’s all about how I made an absolute fool of myself a few years back.

Even though it only lasted a few moments, it taught me a lesson of a lifetime.

If you’ve been reading my blogs for a while, there’s a good chance you’ve seen a story or two about “Judy.”

To clarify, Judy isn’t actually a single person.

Instead, she’s a very realistic portrait – a mix or amalgam if you will – of dozens of good friends, happy clients, and Interview Success Formula members that I’ve helped over the years.