1. Break the ice - observe something that might be different in the office - get the conversation going
2. Humour is appropriate
3. Gentle flattery is appropriate - "There are only two types of people in the world that can be flattered, men and women".
4. For a technical or business position - read a short article about the industry or the company and begin to talk about it.
5. "Tell me about yourself?"  "I'd love to, exactly where would you like me to begin?"
6. Let the employer set the priority.  It gives us an indication where we could begin.
7. Don't let them think you are something you are not - it will be a short relationship.
8. Arm yourself with ACTION words: - I planned, created, originated, initiated, developed, conceived, implemented, formulated - words we do not normally use but will give us an edge the competition may not have.
9. Arm yourself with LEADERSHIP words if you have been in a leadership position, such as: I organized, I directed, lead, supervised, guided, managed, I was responsible for, I resided over, I coordinated, built, gave direction to - words that will help convey an image of leadership.
10. Arm yourself with RESULT phrases such as: lead to, contribute to, demonstrated that, saved, reduced, collected, I achieved, I provided for, I increased, shot holes in, evaluated - these will help round you out a little bit in getting your message across.

Rehearse your interview with various scenarios.  The more you do it the better you will become!

1. Clearly stated Job Objective
2. The Highlights of Qualifications
3. A presentation of directly Relevant Skills and Experience
4. A chronological Work History
5. A listing of relevant Education and Training

A good resume is short and to the point.

• It omits details descriptions of non-relevant earlier jobs
• It omits tiresome jargon like "interfaced" and "responsibilities included".
• It omits clutter of overly precise dates (we simply say "1984-89)
• It omits all personal information that is not relevant to the job (age, marital status, height, weight, hobbies).
• A good resume helps overcome problems.
• It focuses attention on your strong points and accomplishments
• It minimizes the impact of times when you were underemployed or unemployed
• It demonstrates that you're a "pro" even if you've never been paid for your skills
• It shows how you are well qualified for work in a totally new field.