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• Relax and be yourself. Just be more polite!

• Offer a firm handshake. In the United States, 3 pumps up and down is sufficient.

• Maintain eye contact when you’re talking, but don’t stare. Focus on the interviewer’s nose if direct eye contact bothers you. Avoid looking down into your lap.

• Sit facing the interviewer, not off to the side.

• Lean slightly forward and look attentive. It indicates you’re interested in what the person is saying.

• Keep your hands out of your pockets and away from your face—especially your nose! Excessive gesticulation is distracting.

• Keep your 2 feet planted squarely on the ground. Crossing your legs may be misinterpreted as a “defensive move” and that you have something to hide.

If you can remember these points, you’re covered in the body language department. If you forget some of this advice, don’t panic. Focus on the interview: the minutia is not as critical as many of these books would have you believe. Oh yes, I almost forgot, tell the truth and your body language won’t give you away.

■ YOUR GUERRILLA INTERVIEW STRATEGY

Your mission: to impress interviewers so much they handcuff you to the desk for fear you’ll escape. Don’t laugh! It could happen.

Not that long ago, I was interviewing with a client who was particularly impressed with the candidate I’d recruited. It had been a long and difficult project because of the rare skill set we were looking for, but the interview was going as planned. At one point, the president became so excited he dragged his 4 vice presidents in to meet the candidate as well. The interview ran for 6 hours—well past the allotted time. We had to order in lunch for the 7 of us. In the end, we only let the candidate go home after he promised to review our offer with his wife that night and call us first thing in the morning. (Yes, he signed on.)

This candidate understood the number one guerrilla job-hunting tactic and how to use it. Unusual? Yes! Rare? No. Similar events have transpired many times during my 22 years of recruiting. Okay, never with handcuffs—but you get the idea.

➤ Your Number One Tactic

Sell first. Buy later. Here’s what I mean. No matter how much research you’ve done, no matter how eminently qualified you are, no matter how great the width of your smile, your first objective is to get them to like and want to hire you. In the beginning, it’s not about you—it’s about them. Your mission is to sell-sell-sell. Even if you’ve never sold a thing in your life, you can do this. Once they’re sold on you—you get to buy while they sell-sell-sell. Let me explain.

Interviews have 3 distinct stages. During the first 2 stages, you sell. During the third, you turn the tables and make them sell you. Here’s how the interview should unfold.

Stage 1: The Warm-Up

The warm-up general discussion is designed to get to know you. Let the interviewer lead. If he asks you the time-honored opening question, “Tell me about yourself,” there’s only one way to respond: “Where would you like me to begin? Where should I start?” By using this method, you subtly telegraph that your thoughts are well organized, and you want to understand the intent of the question. Be prepared to jump into your primary reason for being there. They have a need you can satisfy. Ply them with stories and analogies but don’t be overbearing.

They’ll question you about the specifics of those jobs that interest them. The more time they spend on a subject, the more relevant it is to the position, so don’t be too quick to move the discussion to your interests. You’re not running the show, they are—for now.

Listen carefully to the interviewers and be direct. Bring your success stories forward. By focusing on results, you demonstrate how you can make them money, save them money, and so on. Ensure that you’re answering their questions completely. Ask, “Is there anything else you’d like to know about this?” or “Does that answer your question?” to make sure that you have delivered the details they need. Ask questions that are on topic and in line with