| Top job interview questions you might be
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| | then came dumb words, followed by no
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| asked during an interview range from why
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| | words. When I was asked something as
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| do you want this job to what is your
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| | simple as "So tell me about yourself", I
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| greatest weakness. So quickly now, tell
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| | goofed. What the heck did she want to
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| me just what is your greatest weakness?
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| | know? My hobbies? My age? My experience?
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| And tell me in the next 20 seconds. I'm
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| | My current job? How long I'd lived in the
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| staring at you, tapping my fingers on my
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| | city?" So tell me about yourself" is
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| desk and waiting for your reply.
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| | quite general among job interview
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| Gotcha, didn't I!
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| | questions (and a popular one).
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| While I don't know what your greatest
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| | Needless to say that upon leaving that
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| weakness in your last job or in life is,
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| | second interview with that lady executive
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| I do know your greatest weakness in
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| | (who was required to approve the final
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| relation to your job interview.
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| | hire), I KNEW I killed all my chances at
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| Questions asked by the interviewer?
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| | getting that job. And so did the original
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| No, it's your "answers". At least partly.
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| | interviewer, the fundraiser consultant
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| There's more to it...
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| | who I'd really be working with and under
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| Your greatest weakness when it comes to
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| | anyway (and whose facial expressions--yes
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| blowing job interviews may be your lack
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| | he was eavesdropping--said he knew I blew
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| of preparation. Let me give you an
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| | it too).
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| example from my own life.
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| | Notice I said that "I" blew it. Sure, the
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| Years ago I worked in fundraising for a
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| | second interviewer was a
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| nonprofit. I liked the fundraising field.
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| | cold-hearted...well, you get the idea.
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| Anyone who has worked in it will tell you
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| | And surely I was better off not working
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| there is never a dull moment. It's a
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| | for her or for a "struggling" nonprofit
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| fast-paced work environment, always with
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| | on the rebound. But the job still seemed
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| one more thing to do. And you're usually
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| | so exciting and I wanted it. And I BLEW
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| doing it for a good cause. However, I
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| | the job interview. Questions I should
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| wanted to do even more with my career in
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| | have been able to answer, I couldn't and
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| the same field but for a different
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| | didn't. I could do the actual job had it
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| employer. So my job search began.
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| | been given to me. I just couldn't ace the
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| My resumes probably resulted in 90
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| | job interview.
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| percent success with getting called for a
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| | Do you know WHY I blew that job
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| job interview. It's been that way just
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| | interview? I do.
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| about forever for me. I mastered resume
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| | I'm A LOT smarter and more savvy with job
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| writing a long time ago, perhaps because
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| | searches now so I know the answer. And
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| I'm also a professional writer. I've even
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| | quite frankly, I knew the answer to why I
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| written resumes for friends who weren't
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| | didn't get that job I so badly wanted
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| getting interviews. And then they did get
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| | right after I blew the question about "so
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| those job interview calls immediately.
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| | tell me about yourself".
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| And if you're wondering, these were
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| | And the answer was and is...
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| honest resumes. I've never exaggerated on
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| | I did not prepare for the job interview.
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| a resume---mine or others.
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| | "Preparation" might possibly be the most
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| So this day my resume writing skills got
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| | important job interview tip you ever
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| me a call for a job interview I REALLY
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| | hear.
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| wanted.
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| | What was I thinking? I never passed a
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| I'd be working for another nonprofit in a
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| | test in high school or college by NOT
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| position where I'd be learning from an
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| | studying. As a fundraiser, I never asked
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| established fundraiser in a fast-paced
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| | a donor to give me a gift by NOT
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| manner too. Back then I craved an
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| | preparing a proposal or preparing for the
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| experienced mentor like this in the
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| | ask. Yet I walked into a job interview
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| fundraising field. And I wanted to be on
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| | with NO preparation. And it showed.
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| a "fast-track" like this job offered. But
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| | Dumb!
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| here's what happened next...
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| | If you want to get your dream
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| I interviewed with a gentleman who was
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| | job---because ONLY ONE person will get
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| hired on a contract consultant basis to
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| | called for that job out of all the
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| handle this nonprofit's fundraising
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| | interviewees---then you must prepare for
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| campaign. It would be long-term, perhaps
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| | the job interview. Preparation means
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| a year or two or more for this campaign.
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| | everything from preparing what you'll
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| I was enthusiastic during the job
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| | wear to how you'll greet the interviewer
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| interview, projected experience and
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| | to how you'll follow up with the
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| knowledge about fund-raising (mostly
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| | interviewer. Job interview preparation is
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| self-taught), and visibly eager to get
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| | knowing beforehand exactly (or nearly
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| started. During the job interview, I aced
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| | exact) what you'll say to "So tell me
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| every question. The interviewer and I
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| | about yourself" and "What is your
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| clicked. He was a fundraiser. I was a
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| | greatest weakness" and any of dozens of
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| fundraiser (though to a lesser
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| | questions you might be asked during a job
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| knowledgeable extent). And we understood
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| | interview.
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| each other. When I finished that
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| | It IS true that the most experienced or
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| interview I KNEW I was in his top picks
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| | most qualified person will not always get
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| if not the top pick. I was a smart and
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| | the job. The person who aces the
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| "hungry" fundraiser willing to work for
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| | interview, even if they only have half
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| the right price and follow his lead. And
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| | your smarts and experience, WILL get the
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| that's what he wanted. But then...
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| | job. That's life for you!
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| ...I had to go through round two of the
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| | So what did I do before my next job
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| job interview process. I was to return on
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| | interview?
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| a separate day and interview for the job
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| | I went to the store and bought a book to
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| with a top executive of this small
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| | help me prepare for answering job
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| nonprofit. I did. She was clearly not a
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| | interview questions. The book was called
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| fundraiser (though it is important,
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| | Knock 'Em Dead, The Ultimate Job-Seeker's
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| perhaps vital, for a top executive to
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| | Handbook by Martin Yate. It's a popular
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| understand and play their role correctly
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| | book with many since updated editions. In
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| in fundraising, especially for a
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| | particular, when I read Yate's section on
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| nonprofit like this one which was on the
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| | handling tough job interview questions
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| decline in funding and needed a fast
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| | and practiced my responses at home, I
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| rebound) . But this lady executive was
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| | never goofed at another job interview
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| cold. I did not get a warm vibe from her.
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| | again. Never! I didn't always get the
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| Quite opposite, fundraisers, or anyone
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| | job, but I sure came close most times.
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| trying to raise funds, are usually
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| | And eventually I did get the job I
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| gregarious, friendly people. Apparently
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| | wanted. Also I was never again personally
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| no one told this woman that it's
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| | embarrassed about my performance in a job
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| important to make any community member
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| | interview.
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| feel comfortable, even one who is
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| | Yate's book is just one source and one
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| interviewing with you for a job (hey, my
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| | method to help you prepare for the job
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| daddy COULD have been a rich member of
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| | interview for your dream job. You can
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| the community!).
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| | find other equally good sources to help
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| Well, this woman was so cold and matter
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| | you ace your job interviews. And I highly
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| of fact (and not even totally focused on
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| | recommend you do seek out some job
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| me and the interview at times), that she
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| | interview preparation resources before
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| got me. I was already nervous about the
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| | your next job interview---if you really
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| job interview and now the questions felt
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| | want to get that job---particularly some
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| more like an interrogation---one I was
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| | tips about responding to job interview
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| failing at. First came the stammering.
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| | questions.
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| Then came the blank mind on my part. And
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