Question –
Is the situation described below a first date or a job interview:

You’re sitting across from a person you just met and trying to make the conversation go from awkward to friendly, trying to come up with clever answers and ask questions that keep the conversation going smoothly…

Not sure which one?

Yes, job interviews and dates are at times pretty similar. Nervous energy, random questions, and results that can determine a large portion of your life…

And if you’ve been in a long-term relationship or on the job for a while, you’ll realize that the skills required for the trial sessions are something where you could be a bit rusty…

In both dating and job interviews, there are some unwritten ground rules, which you may have forgotten about (or perhaps were never told):

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#1 Listen. Don’t let the background chatter in your head (and nerves) keep you from hearing what the interviewer is saying.

#2 Speak in your own voice. If you don’t sound like you, you’ll seem awkward (just keep it professional).

#3 Highlight you. Your unique abilities, your relevant skills, your enthusiasm.

#4 Add key examples that stick in the interviewer’s mind.

#5 Articulate how your skills and abilities can solve their problems.

#6 Don’t blather. Answer the question and nothing but the question.

#7 Practice before you walk in. As much as you can.

Fundamentally, job interviewing is simple. Figure out what the organization needs. Show how you fill those needs.

In a way, it’s like taking a big test in school:
If you study and prepare the right way, you’ll do fine.
If you don’t, it will be a lot harder.