I recently interviewed a potential senior level candidate who really stood out from the crowd.  He came visibly prepared, and quickly took control of the conversation without seeming overbearing. He had printed out our ‘fact sheet’, and highlighted the industrires and service offerings where he felt he had the most to contribute. He then ranked them in order of his best capabilities on a simple scale of 1 to 3. He talked through his thoughts on how to best position within our target market, and made his experience feel relevant and thoughtful.  I’ve interviewed a lot of people, so he gave me pause for thought as I tried to sort out exactly what he did to make an impression.  I came up with four things:

1. He seemed geniunely interested in what we do
2. He specifically offered an agenda, or to let me drive the pace and tempo, an offer he made with a clear understanding of the tradeoffs for both him and me
3. He took the time to think about where he would fit in
4. He was articulate about his career goals and what he wants to do with his time

So many people come in with no more than “I’ve done this before I can do it again”, and a garbled explanation of why they are where they are and what they want to do next. I don’t blame them – it is hard to describe life when you are in your 40s and suddenly find yourself in the interview seat for the first time in years. But the times when you see it done well, it is memorable.