Key takeaways from the National Resume Writers’ Conference I attended last week in lovely Portland, Maine:

• The resume is just the beginning. We talked a lot about resumes – but just as much about LinkedIn profiles, online visibility and social networking, personal branding, and ways to beat the Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) that are used by just about every employer.
• It’s never too late to learn. I enjoyed seeing how some very talented colleagues gather information from clients and write powerful executive resumes. And yes, this old dog learned a few new tricks!
• Shorter, tighter, crisper, sharper … This is my new mantra. I need constantly to strive to say more with less, cut the clutter, and get to the heart of the matter.
• Industry rejuvenation. It was great to meet so many up-and-comers in our industry! I’ve been around “forever” and known many of my colleagues for 10, 15, or 20 years. It’s lovely to have those long-time relationships, of course, but I was jazzed by seeing the energetic newcomers.

Now, back to work …

You might not have George’s fame, fortune, and good looks, but you can go into every interview with the mindset that he cites as being critical to his success in his industry:

“I had to stop going to auditions thinking, ‘Oh, I hope they like me.’ I had to go in thinking I was the answer to their problem. You could feel the difference in the room immediately.”

Success in job interviews starts with the confidence that can only come from 1) preparation; 2) mastery of your message; and 3) understanding of your value in that role to that company facing its current challenges.

Equally important is shifting your mindset so you think of the interview as a business discussion and problem-solving session – not as an inquisition. With that shift, interviewing can actually be enjoyable! Try it and see.

http://www.parade.com/celebrity/2011/09/george-clooney.html