So often candidates believe all it takes to get a job is having the right qualifications. Unfortunately, this isn't the case. In fact, most of the candidates the company interviews have the qualifications or they wouldn't be interviewing them. So what else does it take beyond skills and experience. You might find it interesting to know it takes the four A's.

Years ago when I first started recruiting, a Vice President of Human Resources told me the four "A's" are critical to any successful interview, so you should consider these while preparing to interview.

Appearance - This is not just how you dress for the interview, it is much more than that. It includes your body language during the interview, your handshake, the appearance of your resume and cover letter, the appearance of any materials used during the interview, presentation skills, and I hate to say it, but it does include physical appearance.

Assertive - This is mostly about how you project yourself during the interview. Please take note, the word was not "aggressive." There is a big difference between aggressive and assertive. Most interviewers respect an assertive person and dislike aggressive people. Do you come across as confident, do you answer the question with a strong voice, do you engage the interviewer during the interview, do you ask probing questions or just sit there and answer questions, do you mirror the interviewer, and does your body language and voice have a strong presence?

Affable - Are you friendly, outgoing, easy to communicate with, engaging and even have a sense of humor? Does the interviewer feel comfortable talking with you, are they relaxed and feel at ease, on the way from the lobby to the interviewing room are you able to engage the interviewer, are you comfortable with casual conversation and are you building rapport with the person the second they lay eyes on you?

Articulate - How well do you communicate? Do you listen to the question? Are your answers sharp and succinct? Do you have proper language skills, syntax, avoid using the word "like", proper sentence structure and use of verbs? Do you ramble in the interview to make sure you hit every point in your background or are you able to quickly get to the point? This is one of the easiest "A's" to master. It takes practice and rehearsing. Many will probably need a coach to help with this one.

On the surface, as you read these, they seem so obvious. Most are thinking, "I already know this stuff." This may be true, however, knowing something and mastering it are substantially different. Good preparation and practice will help you master interviewing.

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I welcome your comments and thoughts.