Now listen, before you read this it’s important to understand that I personally am not a fan of having a job or being an employee….never have been.

At nearly every job I’ve ever had, I spent most of my time and energy figuring out how I could get more of what was important to me done rather than what I should have been doing as part of my daily duties.

When I was really young, that was sleep. I was always out late partying so I would devise a plan to get at least an hour or maybe even two of nap time in at work.

As I got older and began leveraging the only 2 talents I ever had (selling and writing) the days that were supposed to spent getting projects done were spent writing sales copy for Internet marketers until of course I got to the point where I didn’t need a job anymore.

My point is this. I’ve never liked working for someone else. But that’s just me and it’s really a whole other topic which I’ll write about at some other time. The reason why I decided to publish this is because I realize that for many people, jobs are very important and valuable. Now even though I was always a lousy employee, I did manage to land a job almost every single time I went on an interview.

So I figured I’d share the things that I did that I know for a fact will dramatically increase your odds of getting a job; so here we go.

1.)    Search online using a trusted site like Monster or Career Builder but NEVER apply through them. Instead, search for a contact e-mail address and send a personal e-mail. If that’s not an option, pick up the phone and ask to speak to the head of HR. Applying through these websites consists of filling out a form that will be sent to the same contact person only it will be sent with everyone else who applied; meaning you’re just another number.  Part of getting what you want is beating the odds and separating yourself from the rest.

2.)    Don’t let the application scare you. If you come across an application which states that the job has requirements (availability times, work experience, etc.) that you don’t think you can fill, apply and go on the interview anyway. Everything is negotiable and subject to change….or at least there’s a chance that it is. I can’t tell you how many times I saw a requirement on an application that I knew I couldn’t pull off but I either charmed the pants of the person interviewing me, made them bend or I figured it out once I got the job.

3.)    Google the company and find out as much info as humanly possible before the interview. Check out the link that says corporate structure or investor relations if they have one and find out the names of the officers in the company. If they are a public company, read the statements of the COO, CEO, President or Chairman when they reported their last quarter earnings. You can also check out their mission statement but hearing what an officer in the company has to say will give you a better indication of what direction they plan moving in the near future.  Be sure to make it clear that you are onboard and in alignment with the company’s vision and objectives.

4.)    Google the name of the person that is interviewing you. Check out their company profile or Facebook page (if applicable) and find out exactly who you’re going to be dealing with. See what their interests are, how long they’ve been with the company, if they have children, where they live, what sports teams they like, etc. These are all things you can use to create rapport with them during the interview.

5.)    This one is just for guys. Since I’m not a woman, I can’t really make any suggestions on this topic without sounding sexist. Buy a new suit or borrow one if you don’t have one. It makes all the difference. Navy blue is your best bet because it’s pretty versatile. You can wear it on an interview, to a meeting, a wedding and even funeral (if you really had to). Wear a white shirt and shoot for a tie that has a little bit of red in it somewhere. Statistics show that this color combination makes people appear more credible in the eyes of others than any other. Make sure your shirt fits you and that the collar is not too lose or the sleeves are too long. Little inconsistencies like this make you appear as though you don’t pay attention to detail. Always wear a pair of shoes that are in good condition (even if they are cheap).

6.)    Give yourself enough time to get there plus an hour. Invest the few minutes you have (because you arrived early) in getting to know the receptionist and/or anyone else that may be at the front desk. If you’re able to connect with them on some level, they’ll tell the person that you’re interviewing that they like you when that person shows you to the door. Social validation is always great. If you wind up getting there too, too early, go get a cup of coffee or feed the pigeons. NEVER under any circumstances, take the slightest risk of being late. Things happen… …trains get stuck, buses stall, traffic jams up....at the end of the day no one cares. You’ll always be remembered as the person who showed up late for an interview.

7.)    Give a firm handshake and do not sit until the other person does. Once the process begins, always look in their eyes and never shy away. This sends a message that you are both confident and truthful.

8.)    Make sure you know your resume inside out and be prepared to answer questions about it like why your average time length at each job was less than 2 years for example. Be prepared also  to present your case in 5 different ways. Chances are the person interviewing you falls into one of five categories when it comes to the way they make decisions. They are either a Thinker, Skeptic, Action Taker, Follower or a Leader.

9.)    Ask them how they got to be where they are in the company. People love to hear themselves talk. The more they share with you, the greater your odds of being liked. Every time someone shares something about themselves with you, they subconsciously become vested in thinking you are trustworthy, genuine and someone they would like to have more dialogue with.

10.) Send an e-mail within 2 hours after the interview has finished thanking the person for their time and stating that you look forward to coming onboard.  Waiting any longer gets risky because that one e-mail could strike the final cord needed for you to get  the job but if someone else - who interviews better – gets there before you send your e-mail, you could be in trouble. 

This list is by no means the end to all when it comes to getting a job and I left out most of the stuff that in my opinion is just common sense like having references available or being able to articulate how you perform certain job related tasks. This was more or less stuff that you may not have necessarily given a second thought to.