She sounded desperate. She had met some unexpected resistance in interviews . . . two in a row. Turns out prospective employers were questioning her about how her background could possibly fit into their organization.



She clutched. She stumbled. She came away from the interview feeling totally defeated. Clearly, she saw herself as an interview victim. Of course, this colored her enthusiasm for continuing her job search.

Katies's story is not unique. It happens to all of us in one way or another--especially when we're looking for a job. The concern is how you respond to it. Are you going to be an interview victim or an interview professional? Here are 5 tips to give interviewing sanity a real comeback.

1. You're a victim if you start putting yourself down. You're a professional if you acknowledge that there's something you need to learn so this doesn't happen again.

2. You're a victim if you blame the employer for failing to see how good you are. You're a professional if you take the time to understand what an employer's needs are.

3. You're a victim if you throw in the towel because you're discouraged. You're a professional if you pick up the pieces and move forward to the next encounter.

4. You're a victim if you let your friends make excuses for you. You're a professional if you ask your friends to practice with you so you can do better the next time.

5. You're a victim if you get angry and just give up. You're a professional if you understand why you would be angry. And then get over it and move on toward your goal.

Look, finding a job is never easy. There are plenty of bumps in the road that can discourage you. Allowing yourself to be an interview victim is only one of them. You have to realize that not every interview will go the way you expect. The solution is an aggressive job campaign that supplies you with multiple interviews.

Fortunately, there are wonderful strategies and techniques that can get you past the bumps and turn you into a job search professional. And, when you determine to take the professional approach no matter how many obstacles come your way, you dramatically moved the odds in your favor. That means you WILL get a great job offer!