As a management consulting CPA of 20+ years and a certified coach with the John Maxwell team, I can easily tell within the first minute of speaking with someone who says they have a job interview on whether they have a chance to land the job or not.

Do you know that in today's competitive job market, your chances of getting that job is determined in the first 30 seconds? Yes, 30 seconds is what experienced hiring managers need to determine if you are the right candidate for the job or not. Every other question you are asked from that point on is either as a form of being polite or an indication that they find you interesting.

It is so sad to see over 90% of the candidates making the same mistake by going into an interview "dry" on not being well rehearsed and fluid in answering the first question without rambling. Many feel that it is sufficient to just read up on the company, review a little bit on the subject matter information related to the position and sometimes practice a couple of questions. This is what happens when you use this strategy; you ramble answering the first common question of "tell us a little bit about yourself" because you never practiced your elevator pitch to give a clear and concise response with 30 seconds to 1 minute maximum on why you are the right candidate for the job and how your experience will add value to the organization. The moment you start rambling on this give-away question, 80% chance is that the interview, in the mind of the hiring manager, is over with you not seen as the strong candidate for the position. Any other questions asked are mere formality before you are politely shown the door.

What if I show you a simple and proven SYSTEM - S ave Y ourself S tress, T ime, E nergy and M oney - that has worked for me over and over again in my 20+ years as a management consultant in landing contracts from rigorous interviews? I have used this system in coaching many others to acing their interviews and landing their first job to moving to higher paid jobs. My most recent success story is a project manager that I coached and who landed a job as a Director of IT.

If you know you need help in preparing for your next interview through intensive practice sessions, learning how to answer tough questions, building up your confidence and taking charge of the interview process from the first minute, I am here to help you. Subscribe to my next free coaching class at [url]ecstrategy.co/coaching[/url]. Space is limited to only 20 people, first come, first served.