Dear Kathryn,

“I have just been asked to fly in for a face-to-face interview with very little advance notice. Of course I said I'd accommodate their schedule. It's Wednesday night and they want me to interview on Monday. Oh, we have out-of-town guests arriving. So I guess I have to cram learning the company's background, assemble situational answers (context-challenge-action -result type stories), practice my delivery, get a haircut...did I leave anything out? What would you prioritize?”

Here's how you spend the next five days preparing for this interview:

Day one: Find the vacancy announcement and analyze the top five skills the hiring agency is looking for. Make a list of those skills and match one experience for each. Get ready for Behavior-Based Interviews, which is a story-telling style interview. Get ready to answer the question: Can you tell me about a time when you ... (something that relates to the target job).

Make that list, find your accomplishments and practice them.

Get your outfit selected now. Select your suit or interview outfit, Make sure it is dry cleaned and appropriate. Don't wear black or white. Wear a color that is interesting and subdued. No big earrings or perfume. Ladies: Makeup? Yes, wear some, a little. Gentlemen: Tie? Yes. Make it conservative, but interesting.

Day two: Research the agency's website, find the mission statement and print it out. Memorize the mission statement and think about the mission in terms of your own career objectives and areas of specialization. Also, read about the office or program where you may work. Read press releases to see if you can find recent programs, research or challenges. Get into the target job and pretend like you work there.

Practice the questions and your stories. Find a good friend who will ask you questions and you answer them. Use the 5 top skills that are in the announcement. For instance, if being an Advisor or Subject Matter is one of them, answer this question:  Tell me about a time when you were an advisor to a senior program manager.  Practice your Q&A into a recorder if you can or on the phone with a friend.

Day 3: Prepare your answer to three popular interview questions:

1. Tell me about yourself — Include something personal that's interesting. Discuss hobbies, personal achievements, and only take about three minutes to answer this question.

2. What is your one weakness — Make sure it’s a weakness that is correctable.  If you apply for a job as a supervisor, do not say, “I lose my patience with people.”  If you are applying for an administrative position, do not say, “I struggle with organization.” 

3. Do you have any questions? My favorite one is this: What is the biggest challenge of this job? I’m told this is an excellent question. Interviewers like it because it gives them a chance to talk.

These are somewhat predictable questions and it's good to get prepared.

Day four: (One day before the interview.) Practice. Review your best stories, top five skills in the target job, mission, and website. Just review and print out various papers. Check and print the directions to the location of the interview. Check Google Earth or MapQuest for directions. If it’s not too far away, drive there to test out the time. This seems extreme, but you do not want to get lost or be late.

Day five: (Day of the interview.) Get up early, walk or exercise, read your notes again and leave early. Think good thoughts about your skills. Think about how good you’ll be in that position and the value you can bring to that organization. Even if you get there one hour early, just read or go for a walk. This could mean your next career, so this investment of time and confidence building is important. You’re well prepared.

Take the five top skills and five top accomplishment stories with you. Print them in 14 point type if possible. Be prepared to talk about them. It’s a very good chance that you will get to talk about those stories.

After the interview: Think about the interview questions and your answers. Use this interview as a practice run for future interviews. Be positive, you did your best. You should be pleased with your preparation. Things will work out.

Know that you are a great candidate — otherwise, you would not be invited for the interview.

Look the interviewers in the eyes. Give a friendly handshake, Take five copies of your resume. It’s okay to take notes in the interview (not too many). Don’t try to negotiate salary or ask about benefits in the interview. Save that for after they offer you the job.

Don’t accept a job offer on the spot. Always take a day to think about the position, the opportunity, the salary and benefits. Then call back and either ask questions or accept.

Good luck, have fun, enjoy.