Personal Branding Interview Sally Hogshead - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career

Personal Branding Interview Sally Hogshead - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career Today, I spoke with Sally Hogshead, who gives sound advice on how to radically engineer your career and why doing things differently than everyone else will help you stand out. She is an author, speaker and media commentator, who brings years of experience to this interview. We talk about her fancy website, some of the research shes conducted, how she got Careerbuilder to sponsor a book tour for her and reflections on her own personal brand. The main takeaway is that you dont have to do what everyone else does in life. You dont need to be afraid of putting your creativity out there for people to see. Your website is extremely cool and bold. You even have your own Flash intro with sperm! Why should people invest money in their own websites instead of getting free hosting? Why is this good for personal branding? When it comes to making a first impression, your website is every bit as important as your dress and demeanor. For many of us, it’s even more important because the people we want to reach might never actually meet us. That’s not to say your website needs to be complicated or expensiveâ€"not at all. It can be simply executed with brilliant content. But no matter what you can afford, it should very accurately communicate the specific qualities of your own personal brand. Here is my personal brand promise: Radical ideas and passionate action, keenly executed. That means every idea I develop should be radical in some way, with my passionate involvement, and incisive execution. For my website, RadicalCareering.com, that meant untraditional ideas, such as the motion-graphics of sperm swimming, with the headline, “You were born unlike any other.” It’s a concept in my book, Radical Careering, about tapping into your own ultimate competitive advantage. My personal brand is also about keen execution, so I chose a high-end Flash design. However, this site launched in 2005, back before Web 2.0. The Flash was new and sexy back then, but I wouldn’t recommend it now, because it limits search engine optimization. Google, as you probably know, can’t search Flash. That means all the content in Flash never shows up in search results. I’m actually re-doing my whole online brand (working with The Next Wave) so it’s more Web 2.0 savvy. Why do you say that people have everything they already need to succeed? Often times, people blame their career shortcomings on external forces: an unsupportive boss, a failed project, or right now, the economy. But the truth is that in the long run, your success depends on factors within your own control. How intently are you willing to apply yourself? Are you willing to push outside of your comfort zone, and refuse to give up even when you feel discouraged? Would you be willing to take a temporary pay cut for a job that offered the opportunity to work with smarter people, and gain valuable experience? Can you support the people around you to their own success, so that you build a community? You already possess everything you need to make these choices. The hard part is actually making them. Did you find anything really exciting and unusual in your 00 radical research project? Yes! We asked 00 professionals age 25 â€" 45 about their motivations and intentions for their careers. The results demonstrate just how our attitudes have shifted since our parents’ “bring home the bacon” mindset. The main findings are posted at radical00.com. A few highlights: Which is most important in determining success: Natural talent: 8.8% Hard work: 91.2% Which is more important to get from your employer: Respect: 88.8% Fat paycheck: 11.2% Which has had the greatest influence on your success: Luck: 2.3% Skill set: 15.6% Reputation: 15.8% Daily actions: 29.2% Attitude: 37.1% Which is your idea of professional hell: Long hours: 3.8% Low pay: 4.7% Being micromanaged: 15.6% Disrespectful boss or coworkers: 75.9% You got Careerbuilder.com to sponsor a speaking tour for you. How did you manage to pull that off? After the executives at Careerbuilder.com read Radical Careering, they contacted me to submit a proposal. I could have simply responded in an email, as most other applicants did. But to sell them on my personal brand, I had to clearly articulate why I could do this better than anyone else. If my personal brand truly is “radical ideas and passionate action, keely executed,” then I needed to reflect that promise. So what I did I do? I created the vision for an entire program, which I called “Radical CareerBuilding.” I showed how my brand could perfectly combine with their brand. I outlined a marketing plan, potential partners, and even a logo design. Within a week, I got the phone call that I’d be going on tour in a few weeks. I’d sold them with my extra thought and effort. What are your feelings about personal branding and how have you built your brand in the advertising world? A personal brand must be an accurate reflection of who you are â€" who you authentically are at the core of your heart and soul. You can’t fake something you’re not, or you’ll fail. You can’t pretend to be detail-oriented if you’re really a big-picture creative type, or you’ll be miserable. You can’t base your brand around reliability if you’re not willing to back that up with relentless perfectionism, or you’ll lose the trust of those around you. In my career, everything I do and say and create aligns with my personal brand promise to create “radical ideas and passionate action, keenly executed.” That includes not only my resume and website and business card, but also my work itself. When a client hires me to do their advertising and marketing strategy, they get those same qualities. The ideas will not be traditional and safe and boring. I’ll engage with the assignment with passion and intensity. The execution will be the highest caliber. Everything in my brand aligns, so people have greater trust in what they will get from me. That allows me to charge higher fees, have greater job security, and more career freedom. Take, for example, my last name. Hogshead. Can you imagine how much it sucked growing up with the last name Hogshead?? (It was worse than you can imagine, trust me.) Even today, maitre d’s in restaurants erase my reservation because they think it’s a joke, and operators hang up on me, thinking it’s a prank call. People say, disbelievingly, “No, seriously, what’s your last name?” Um, it really is Hogshead. I could have hidden from that, downplayed it, or even changed my name. Instead, I pushed it. My business card reads, “A Hogshead is a barrel that holds 62 Gallons. So what’s your name, smartass?” Sally Hogshead is a speaker, author of Radical Careering: 0 Truths to Jumpstart Your Job, Your Career, and Your Life, and branding expert on radical innovation. Sally’s insights have been profiled by The New York Times, NBC, ABC, CBS and MSNBC. She leads keynotes for companies such as Starbucks and Microsoft, as well as innovation workshops around the world. Today, as writer and creative director, Sally helps companies develop branded content, new media applications, and multi-platform advertising. She helps companies uncover smarter, faster, more creative solutions. Recent launches include products for Nike and Cole Haan, Godiva, and Motorola.

SES Resume Writing Service Reviews

SES Resume Writing Service ReviewsIf you are looking for the right resume writing service for your business then you should get professional resume writing service reviews before making a decision. This will help you in choosing the right services provider who can help you get the job that you want. Most of the time, it is the customer who is in charge of hiring people to work in his company.The reviews contain information about different types of companies and their average customer ratings. It also includes the testimonials of the customer. So, if you have been looking for a company for your resume writing services then make sure you go through the reviews first. Check if the reviews are written by people who have been working with the company before.SES resume writing service reviews also contain the types of resumes which the company has produced. You can go through the reviews to find out if the company offers freelance resume writing services. You can also go through the review s to find out if the company provides customized resume writing services. These specialized resume writing services are generally designed to meet the requirements of different types of companies.Resume writing service reviews can also help you in finding out if the company offers unique resume writing services. Since the reviews cover the experience level of different companies, you can also get information on how experienced the company is with its resume writing services. You can also get information on the types of resume services that the company provides and if the company provides free sample resumes.If you have decided to take the services of an SES resume writing service, make sure you go through the reviews carefully. The reviews should include information about the experience of the writer. You should know that some writers are not qualified to write resumes and they will be selling the services which can be really risky for the clients. It is better to know the experienc e of the writer before you hire them for the services.The service reviews should also list the different types of services that the writers can provide to you. Some of the services are basic resume writing services which includes writing the basic cover letter and resume as well as adding the details to the official form and taking care of all the formalities. Other services include special writing services, which would include the custom written resumes as well as the non-standard writing services.The review should also list the benefits that the SES resume writing service provides to the clients. Some of the important benefits which can be provided by the SES resume writing service include customized resumes, customized cover letters, sample resumes and custom letters. It is also important to know that the reviews can help you in identifying the best providers of services. They should have a positive feedback which would include the number of clients that have used the services.Th ese reviews are a good way to find a reliable company to take the services of. The review will help you in making the best decision based on the feedback given by the previous clients.

UCR Resume Writing - How to Write a Good One

UCR Resume Writing - How to Write a Good OneWhen it comes to the topic of UCR resume writing, a UCR or universal credit report is basically a record of all the companies you have worked for over a period of time. It is a summary of your academic, professional and personal experience from your past five years in work. It will record all the companies you have worked for, including employers, clients, co-workers, consultants, associations and organisations you were affiliated with and the nature of the work that was done in them.Your UCR will be kept for seven years, unless it has been dismissed by the CMIB, the Canadian Institute of Management Bodies. A dismissal means that you have quit your job without proper notice or written explanation. This can happen if you quit working for a client before you have completed your contract or if your employer was not satisfied with what you did and gave you a formal warning.In today's world, there are many people who have moved from one place to another. In order to keep track of all these people, the institution established the UCR or universal credit report. To use this information for your benefit, make a copy of your UCR. You need to go through it and make sure that every entry is accurate.In your UCR you should also consider the companies you have worked for and the jobs you have done. For example, if you have worked for a client for two years, but have worked for a company two years ago, make sure that there is an entry on your UCR about the second company. If you feel that you have been discriminated against because of your gender, race, religion, age, sexual orientation, marital status, or disability, you need to contact the CMIB.It is important to do a little research on your background first before applying for a job, as your UCR is a crucial part of your application. A thorough search will get you ahead of the competition.The date you received your UCR may not be accurate, if this is the case you can request a c orrection. Make sure that you know when the government website was created and, if possible, take a look at it to verify the dates and validity of the data.If your UCR is not valid, make sure that you list all of the correct data. The date of birth, social security number, date of first employment, address, city and province are all necessary. You may also need to include employment history and any awards or recognitions received in the past year.Ensure that you include all of the details and try to have them written down in a chronological order. You should also make sure that the dates are correct and complete before you write them down, as errors like these can come back to haunt you.

Why You Should Hire with Emotional Intelligence in Mind - CareerAlley

Why You Should Hire with Emotional Intelligence in Mind - CareerAlley We may receive compensation when you click on links to products from our partners. Intellectuals solve problems. Geniuses prevent them. Albert Einstein Interviewers and human resource managers often go through hundreds of applicants, many of which express the same characteristics. However, instead of glazing over resumes and interviews, look for something unique that will bring high performers into the workplace. In short, look for emotional intelligence. Emotional intelligence is the individuals ability to identify, assess and control the emotions of themselves and others. A vital characteristic, studies have shown that employers are more likely to promote workers with high emotional intelligence over those with high IQ. More so than ever, it has become a measure of the employees potential for success. 4 Characteristics of High Performers Emotional intelligence at work is an important quality for prospective candidates, and ultimately all employees. The following characteristics, attributed to a high degree of emotional intelligence, are reasons why you should look for high performing individuals: Self Awareness Self awareness is the ability to perceive ones own emotions and stay aware of their emotional state. A vital characteristic for employees and managers alike, this quality allows them to recognize feelings and emotions as arises in various situations. Employees are able to objectively look at their actions and determine whether it is reasonable or not. When individuals are able to understand their own emotional state, they are better able to compose themselves and act accordingly. Self Management Simply perceiving emotions are not enough a successful individual is also able to self manage those emotions and control them. The quality ensures that emotions will not take control of the individual and get out of hand. This ability to regulate and adapt to change circumstances is vital for the workplace, where tensions and tempers can run high. If the employee is unable to keep their cool, this will have a negative effect on their reputation and perception among peers. Social Skills Success in the workplace is largely determined by the individuals ability to manage relationships and understand social networks around them. The ability to connect with others allows the employee to engage in better teamwork, collaboration and communication. Social skills also extend to the ability to understand relationships and engage in conflict resolution. As a result, individuals with a high degree of social awareness are more likely to emerge as leaders and managers in their field. Impulse Control Finally, another characteristic of individuals with emotional intelligence is the ability to control their impulses. Impulse control is a form of emotional regulation it allows the individual to wait in order to obtain something that he or she wants. By resisting instant gratification, they are able to reap greater rewards in the future. Good impulse control is an indicator of a high performer; an individual who understands the rewards of success. If youve entered late in the game, dont worry emotional intelligence, unlike IQ or personality, is not a stagnant quality. Individuals can improve this quality through emotional intelligence training and courses designed to help them get better. With enough practice, both new and veteran employees can develop their emotional intelligence, actively influencing their own ability to become a high performer. Sara Fletcher is interested in learning how to test emotional intelligence and understanding how it relates to our daily performance. She has written on a variety of topics, ranging from small business, sports, and career advice. This is a Guest post. If you would like to submit a guest post to CareerAlley, please follow these guest post guidelines. Good luck in your search.Visit me on Facebook

The Recession is Bullhonkey Christys Story - When I Grow Up

The Recession is Bullhonkey Christys Story - When I Grow Up This is part of  The Recession is Bullhonkey series, where I share stories of those who have gotten hired and/or started their own businesses (or sometimes both!) since 2008. Christy Tennery-Spalding is a current client of mine who I forced to write something for this series when she decided to quit her full-time job. Youre welcome, you guys.   I’ve always wanted to help make the world a better place. I started an “environmental club” with my sister and our friend Lizzy when I was 10. I went to my first protest at the Chinese Embassy in Washington, DC, demanding freedom for Tibet, when I was 16. So it’s not a huge surprise that in college, I found a fabulous activist community in the San Francisco Bay Area and became an organizer, and that after college, I looked to make that my career. I’ve held a range of paid and unpaid activist gigs over the years â€" and the truth is that very little has changed since those early days. I still want to build a more just world. Just a few months ago, I made the decision to transition out of my most recent paid activist job in order to put my focus onto my yoga teaching business and (unpaid) climate justice work. While this may seem extreme, it makes more sense when I tell you that, I was working on both of these projects the whole time that I held this recent position. (I basically had three jobs!) Right now, I’ve realized, it’s about impact. In this moment, my mission is better served (and I can make a bigger impact) by being an entrepreneur, rather than an employee. I’m able to take on the projects that inspire me, and create what I know will serve others. Doing what lights me up lets me make a bigger difference. I’m able to hold the many pieces of my identity, including those of healer and teacher, and grow into those. It’s my path to hold both of those â€" to make change in all kinds of ways. Since I’m holding both of those roles, healer and activist, I’m able to see, from the inside, how necessary good self-care is for activists and caregivers. It took me a while to realize that I don’t have to have a job in the Non-Profit Industrial Complex (NPIC) in order to make a difference and claim my power. That’s part of my path also: to show people that there are many ways to create change. If you’d told me, when I was 16 and yelling outside of the Chinese Embassy, that I would “grow up” to be an entrepreneur, I would not have believed you â€" but that’s what I am. Working for myself gives me the creative fulfillment and schedule flexibility that I crave. And it allows me to be of service in all the ways I’m called to. Interestingly enough, I see working for myself as a form of self-care. Those of us who see injustice and feel compelled to act are sensitive souls. So it stands to reason that we would need extra self-care, especially when you remember that we are staring down the trauma of injustice and environmental devastation every day. Self-care is also completely possible. This lights me up because the possibilities are amazing: What if we built self-care into our work plans? What if we defended our well-being with the same kind of fervor we defend the planet? What if we brought ourselves the same compassion we bring the rest of the world? (An aside: y’all, that would be so amazing.) Taking the leap to start my own business, now in its second iteration, has taught me a lot. It’s like a yoga practice in itself â€" there’s always something new to discover about the practice and myself. I’ve learned that balance is a myth, but that focus and care are possible. I’ve also learned that this work will make us feel (and that it may be painful), but that burnout from what we love isn’t a natural byproduct. I believe that people can do what they love for their whole lives. Confession: I haven’t always been great at self-care. It is true that we often teach what we ourselves need to learn. The process of developing my own self-care has been both brutal and rewarding. After years of dedicating myself to it, I see clearly that it is a revolutionary act. The world and its injustices may try to teach us that we are insufficient, that we are disposable. I believe that reclaiming our autonomy, dignity and wellness through self-care is subversive in its message: we are whole, we are enough and we deserve love. When I started to include myself in that, it was an incredible experience. My current career configuration is about living my life in integrity with this very message: each one of us is sacred and worthy. I believe each of us is not only deserving of care, but that care is essential if we want to create truly effective and resilient movements. I love helping others discover that truth, and I love living into that truth myself. Because we are all in this together. Christy Tennery-Spalding is a yoga teacher, activist, Thai massage practitioner, Reiki master teacher, and writer. She is the author of Setting Gratitude Free, a workbook and action guide on thankfulness, and the creator of Sacred Focus, a 6-week program to de-overwhelm your life.  She lives in Oakland, California with her husband and their rescued feral cats, Dorothy Harriet. In her free time, she enjoys frolicking in the redwoods and soaking in hot springs.  She believes that you cannot build a more compassionate world if you are treating yourself like crap.

Improve Visual Presentation on Resume Writing

Improve Visual Presentation on Resume WritingWhen writing resumes and applying for jobs, it is essential to improve visual presentation on resume writing. In addition to the same need for different types of resumes and job descriptions, as well as resumes that are designed well, it is equally important for employers to see a fit and polished appearance on your resume. But most employers may not know how to improve visual presentation on resume writing.Resume writing can be an art form. When you are writing resumes, you must not be afraid to experiment with different approaches to enhance the overall look of your resume. You must take the time to use different fonts and colors, size and placement of the resume to best promote your character and your interests. The first impression is always the most important one.It can also be done by creating a resume that is customized in length and style for a specific employer or for a specific job. The format of the resume will be a reflection o f your strengths and weaknesses, to which you can also put in what you are really good at and what you really want to accomplish in your future career. When employers are able to see your talents and abilities in the job description, they will be more willing to hire you as an employee.Besides this, you may also try to make it easier for the employer to read the resume while it is being written. Instead of using every paragraph as a resume summary, it is suggested that you list each section separately in a resume. This will allow for more room to highlight and say what you are good at. You can also create a resume that makes it easy for the employer to skim through the resume easily without reading the entire contents.In this way, the resume will have all of the necessary information that is required to present your qualifications for the job. You can add additional information at the end of the resume. If youare doing well, the employer will automatically think that you have a very strong resume. But if you have been overlooked, he will likely ask you a follow up interview about your work and background.You can do this at the last minute so that you do not waste time in finding out more about the company that you are applying for. You can also include in your resume and credentials that are not mentioned in the job description. Such info could be your certification as a specialist in a certain industry, or certifications that are not included on the job description. So, do not hesitate to ask your potential employer for more information.These tips will definitely help you in enhancing the appearance of your resume when writing it. They will also help you get more jobs in the future. So, don't waste time and put those creative skills into practice. As a professional resume writer, you should know that it is your personal performance that should be evaluated by the employer.

27 Seemingly Random Things That Could Ruin Your Job Interview

27 Seemingly Random Things That Could Ruin Your Job Interview There are many pieces to a job interview. There’s the obvious stuff: Have you done your research on the company? Are you polite to the interviewer and eager to join the staff? But there’s also the less obvious stuff: How do you treat the receptionist? Are you smiling too much? Below, we put together a list of seemingly trivial details that can affect your chances of landing the gig â€" and only some are within your control. Jacquelyn Smith and Vivian Giang contributed to a previous version of this article. 1. The time of your interview Pekicâ€"Getty Images/iStockphoto 10:30 a.m. on a Tuesday is the best time for you to schedule an interview, reports Glassdoor. People are shown to be most productive on Tuesdays and won’t feel rushed by the time they meet you. It’s also late enough in the day that your interviewer has had time to check their email, have a cup of coffee, and get ready for your arrival. You also don’t want to be someone’s last meeting of the workday, because there’s a good chance the interviewer’s attention might not solely be on you. They could be thinking about priorities that they have after work, for example, such as dinner plans, kids’ homework, etc. Also, avoid interviewing pre or post-lunch because your time with them could either be cut short or you could be left waiting for a long time. 2. The weather on the day of your interview Jacobs Stock Photographyâ€"Getty Images University of Toronto researchers Donald Redelmeier and Simon D. Baxter found that medical school applicants fared worse if they interviewed on a rainy day compared to sunny day interviewees. They say: “Overall, those interviewed on rainy days received about a 1% lower score than those interviewed on sunny days. This pattern was consistent for both senior interviewers and junior interviewers. We next used logistic regression to analyze subsequent admission decisions. The difference in scores was equivalent to about a 10% lower total mark on the Medical College Admission Test.” The data included nearly 3,000 applicants over a six-year period. 3. How early you arrive Blend Images - Andersen Rossâ€"Getty Images You may think it’ll look good if you arrive early â€" but if you’re excessively early, you could be hurting your chances. “Of course arriving a few minutes early is a good idea, and is certainly better than arriving late â€" but don’t show up a half hour before your interview,” says Lynn Taylor, a national workplace expert and the author of “Tame Your Terrible Office Tyrant: How to Manage Childish Boss Behavior and Thrive in Your Job.” “It can make you appear too anxious or put pressure on the interviewer. If you have extra time, gather your thoughts in your car or take a brief walk to get your energy up.” 4. Whether your rival also interviews on the same day Robert Dalyâ€"Getty Images/Caiaimage Yes, it may be difficult to know when your rival is interviewing, but if you happen to know, schedule your interview on a different day. Research suggests that whether or not you’re considered qualified for a position depends on who else is applying for the job. “People are averse to judging too many applicants high or low on a single day, which creates a bias against people who happen to show up on days with especially strong applicants,” according to a study in the journal Psychological Science. However, this comparison only lasts for one day, which means that you are only compared to people who are interviewing on the same day as you â€" not the day before or after. 5. What you do while waiting in the lobby Caiaimage/Agnieszka Wozniakâ€"Getty Images/Caiaimage “Drinking coffee, eating, or talking on your cell is not the first impression you want to make with the hiring manager â€" or the receptionist,” says Taylor. “You don’t know exactly when the interviewer will show up, so be at the ready.” She suggests keeping one hand free so that you can quickly shake hands without awkwardly placing all your personal items on a chair or on the floor. “You want to appear organized and attentive.” “Also, as you wait, either make conversation with the receptionist (if he or she is available to talk), review notes from your notebook, or review any company materials for guests. Maintain a pleasant smile and upbeat demeanor.” 6. How you treat the receptionist or the driver Klaus Vedfeltâ€"Getty Images Employers want to know how you interact with others regularly, so a common tactic is to ask the receptionist about you later. Zappos CEO Tony Hsieh said in an interview with The Wall Street Journal that he will ask the shuttle driver who picks up candidates whether they were impolite or rude. “A lot of our job candidates are from out of town, and we’ll pick them up from the airport in a Zappos shuttle, give them a tour, and then they’ll spend the rest of the day interviewing,” Hsieh says. “At the end of the day of interviews, the recruiter will circle back to the shuttle driver and ask how he or she was treated. It doesn’t matter how well the day of interviews went, if our shuttle driver wasn’t treated well, then we won’t hire that person.” 7. Your handshake Klaus Vedfeltâ€"Getty Images As in any business or networking situation, a weak, tentative handshake conveys a lack of confidence, Taylor says. “And this gesture is a key part of your first impression.” Make sure you convey your self-assurance with a firm handshake and a smile on your face â€" and don’t be afraid to take the initiative in reaching out. “Some people go overboard, however. You don’t need to cause injury to make your point.” 8. If you accept the offered coffee spyderskidooâ€"Getty Images/iStockphoto If the interviewer offers you something to drink besides water â€" especially coffee â€" don’t accept it. Your interviewer doesn’t want to spend 10 minutes just to make you a cup of coffee, say authors John B. Molidor and Barbara Parus in their book “Crazy Good Interviewing: How Acting A Little Crazy Can Get You The Job.” This is especially true if they have a busy day ahead, since they’re now spending even more time than they originally planned just to make you coffee. 9. Whether you’re a little narcissistic Cindy Ordâ€"Getty Images Research from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln suggests that narcissists score much higher than others in job interviews, and it’s because they’re comfortable with self-promoting. Since narcissists typically think they’re fantastic, the interviewer may think so, too. 10. The color of your clothing Westend61â€"Getty Images/Westend61 According to 2,099 hiring managers and human resource professionals who participated in a CareerBuilder survey, blue and black are the best colors to wear to a job interview, and orange is the worst. Conservative colors, such as black, blue, gray, and brown, seem to be the safest bet when meeting someone for the first time in a professional setting, whereas colors that signal more creativity, like orange, may be too loud for an interview. Red is the most powerful color, but consider whether you want to outshine your interviewer. This, of course, depends on what role you’re interviewing for and the culture of the company. 11. Whether you glance at your watch or cell phone dima_sidelnikovâ€"Getty Images/iStockphoto As benign as this might seem, people notice when you’re peeking at your watch or phone, and you certainly don’t want to convey that you’re not engaged in the conversation, Taylor explains. “Even having your cell phone in plain sight is disrespectful. You’re not going to text or take calls, so turn it off and put it away. Make sure your hiring manager has your undivided attention.” 12. Sitting before you’re asked to PeopleImagesâ€"Getty Images Show respect for your interviewer’s space by waiting for them to offer you a seat, or wait for them to sit first. After you sit, Molidor and Parus say to “sit tall with squared up shoulders and try to occupy as much space in the chair as possible. Don’t be like a shrinking violet with a bowed head, no eye contact, and slouching shoulders.” 13. Tailoring your answers based on the interviewer’s age Nancy Honeyâ€"Getty Images/Cultura RF Different generations are most impressed by different values. By being aware of your interviewer’s age, you can tailor your answers to what you think they’re looking for, advise Molidor and Parus. “With a little practice, you can home in on the values that each generation holds most dear. You can shape your answer using the language of their values,” they write. 14. The way you make eye contact in a panel interview Martin Barraudâ€"Getty Images Keep everyone’s attention in a panel interview by making eye contact with different people at specific times during your response, say Molidor and Parus. “In a panel interview, always begin your response by making eye contact with the person who asked you the question. Then make random and soft eye contact with each of the other interviewers. As you finish up your response, return your eye contact to the person who asked you the question. Do not mow down the interviewers by going down the line making eye contact after the other. Soft random eye contact does the trick.” 15. Your posture PeopleImagesâ€"Getty Images “When you’re in the interview, your default should be sitting straight and keeping a pleasant smile on your face,” Taylor says. Avoid slumping in your chair and remember to lean forward, showing interest in the interviewer. “Even if you feel the discussion is going south, maintain your poise, posture and inflection. That can sometimes help you turn things around.” 16. What you do with your hands Pattanaphong Khuankaew / EyeEmâ€"Getty Images/EyeEm Molidor and Parus write: 1. Showing your palms indicates sincerity. 2. Holding your palms downward is a sign of dominance. Do not shake hands with your palms down. 3. Pressing the fingertips of your hands together to form a church steeple is a display of confidence. 4. Concealing your hands, as in putting them in your pockets, is a sign that you have something to hide. 5. Finger tapping is a sign of impatience. 6. Folding your arms across your chest is a very defensive position, indicating disappointment or disagreement. 7. Overusing hand gestures to the point of distraction. 17. The questions you ask Eric Audrasâ€"Getty Images/PhotoAlto Maybe you’re capable of answering every question sent your way with flying colors, but you also need to leave on a good note by asking smart, thoughtful questions at the end. Below are two questions from Vicky Oliver’s book “301 Smart Answers to Tough Interview Questions“: • What are some of the problems your company faces right now? And what is your department doing to solve them? • What type of employee tends to succeed here? What qualities are the most important for doing well and advancing at the firm? 18. Where you grew up pbombaertâ€"Getty Images If you spent your childhood in LA and your interviewer did, too, you may have a better chance of landing the job. It’s clearly unfair (and out of your control), but your interviewer may not even be consciously aware that she’s biased toward Californians. It’s called the similarity-attraction hypothesis: People simply gravitate toward those who are similar to them in some capacity. There are a few potential explanations for this phenomenon. One is that people with a decent level of self-esteem are satisfied with their personalities, so when they see their qualities reflected in someone else, they like that person, too. Another idea is that humans have evolved to like people who look and act the way they do. At one point in human history, the safest bet was to only trust people in your small social group. 19. How competent you seem Creatas Imagesâ€"Getty Images Coming across as super-competent can in some cases hurt your success in an interview. That’s because your interviewer might worry that you’ll threaten his status in the organization. And that’s especially true in organizations with highly competitive cultures. Of course, you should still put your best foot forward in any job interview. If the company doesn’t hire you because they feel threatened, you might not want to work there anyway. 20. The sound of your voice Blend Images - Erik Isaksonâ€"Getty Images In the near future, some companies may begin analyzing candidates’ voices to determine if they’d be good fits, according to an NPR report. Essentially, an algorithm would determine whether your voice is engaging, calming, or trustworthy â€" which could be especially important in industries like hospitality and retail. Humans would have the final say on hiring. 21. Whether you’re smiling Jakob Helbigâ€"Getty Images/Cultura RF It’s common sense that flashing a smile makes you look friendlier and more approachable. But research suggests that, for certain professions, smiling too much can undermine your success in a job interview. In one study, published in the Journal of Social Psychology, researchers asked college students to role-play job interviews. They found that students who played candidates for the position of newspaper reporter, manager, and research assistant were less likely to get the hypothetical job when they smiled â€" especially during the middle of the interviews. 22. Your accent Westend61â€"Getty Images/Westend61 Research published in the Journal of Applied Psychology suggests that some employers may discriminate against candidates for executive positions when the candidates have foreign accents. Specifically, the employers may believe that those candidates have less political skill. This is another example of completely unfair discrimination, and the researchers behind the study say companies should add accent-bias awareness training to existing training programs for hiring managers. 23. Your weight grinvaldsâ€"Getty Images/iStockphoto Recent experiments suggest that we’re less inclined to hire job candidates when they’re overweight. In the study, published in the journal Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes, men and women rated digital resumes that included photographs of non-obese people and digitally altered photographs of those same people as obese. As it turns out, obese candidates were rated significantly less competent than non-obese candidates. Right now, Michigan is the only state that has a law against weight discriminationâ€" there’s no protection under federal law. But if you feel that weight discrimination has affected your chances of landing a job, you can get in touch with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission or the American Civil Liberties Union. 24. Whether you have tattoos or piercings Hill Street Studiosâ€"Getty Images/Blend Images A Salary.com survey found that some 76% of people say tattoos and piercings hurt a job candidate’s chances of getting hired. Your body art might stand out more in certain fields â€" for example, the survey found that just 8% of government workers have tattoos, compared to 20% of those in the hospitality, tourism, and recreation industries. 25. Your body language Bloom Productionsâ€"Getty Images Experts say that when people like each other they mirror each other’s body posture and movements. In a way, it looks like like the two people are “dancing.” If you don’t mirror your interviewer’s body language, it might seem like you’re not interested in what they’re saying or even that you’re lying. Obviously, you don’t need to go to extremes here â€" like scratching your nose every time your interviewer does. But if they’re leaning forward in their chair or sitting with their legs crossed, you can subtly mimic these behaviors. 26. How sweaty you are Fuseâ€"Getty Images Offering a clammy palm to shake the hiring manager’s hand is the greatest fear of many a job candidate. And for good reason â€" sweating suggests you’re nervous and can undermine the image of cool confidence you’re trying to project. One public relations recruiter tells US News that she recommends asking for a cold cup of water while you’re waiting to be called in for your interview. That way, you’ll lower your body temperature and stop some of the sweating. On the other hand, you can just accept that sweating and nervousness are normal in a stressful situation and hope your interviewer feels the same way. 27. When you send your thank-you note Dougal Watersâ€"Getty Images We all know how important it is to follow up after a job interview with a thank-you note â€" but not everyone realizes that when they send it can be just as important. If you wait too long, the hiring manager may forget about you or assume you you’re not interested in the job. It may also make you seem like a slacker. “The best timeframe to send a thank you email is within 24 hours after your interview,” Whitney Purcell, formerly the associate director of Career Development at Susquehanna University, previously told Business Insider. “It should be sent during business hours â€" no 3 a.m. emails that make your schedule seem a little out of whack with the company’s traditional hours.” For more on how to craft the perfect thank-you note, check out this handy guide. This article originally appeared on BusinessInsider.com.