Interview Power. Tom Washington
Leveraged a $200,000 promotion budget into $1 million in on-air value. Sold out the Spokane Opera House ten times and attracted 56,000 skiers to the Warren Miller ski film.
Convinced Roseanne to appear in a great but offbeat, low-budget ad campaign, just as she was hitting the big time.
School
I learned Russian so I could read War and Peace in the original language.
I got a B in chemistry after failing the midterm exam.
I got an A in chemistry from the toughest prof.
I wrote an outstanding paper on the causes of World War II.
I was elected senior class vice president.
I was committee chairperson of the junior prom decorations committee. Some teachers thought they were the best decorations in years.
Hobbies/Activities
I planted a garden, fought the weeds, and got 15 bushels of vegetables.
I hitchhiked alone from Paris through France, Italy, Greece, Turkey, Iran, Afghanistan, Pakistan, and India.
I planned and built a 400-square-foot deck.
I won honorable mention in a county bakeoff for a unique potato salad. I wrote 25 short stories between 1985 and 1995 and got two published.
Getting paid assignments to photograph people.
Bought and redecorated (elegantly but on a small budget) a small condominium.
Designed a new dress, combining several patterns. Took lessons and became a good dancer. Have taught others.
Sports/Physical Activities
I learned to ski at age 44.
I got third place in a cross-country track meet.
I scored a game-winning basket.
I won first place in a kite-flying contest.
I climbed Mt. Rainier.
I competed in my first 10K race at age 36.
Although I hate swimming, I became a certified scuba diver.
Tried parachuting—once.
Took the first group of American skiers (35 people) to Russia in 1986 for a 14-day exchange with the Russian Olympic team.
Volunteer
As president of the PTA I increased membership 36%.
I was elected secretary of my local accounting association.
As chairman of fund raising, I raised more money than any other Bay Area Lions Club in 1979.
My team built a very effective irrigation system during my Peace Corps tour.
Personal
I raised three mischievous boys and trained them to become well-adjusted adults.
I planned and arranged a wonderful three-week vacation in Europe with a tight budget.
I quit smoking. I administered CPR to a man and saved his life.
After reviewing this list, read the expanded accomplishments on the following pages and notice how we identified skills. The purpose of this exercise is to identify as many stories as possible to be used in interviews, and to identify the key skills you’ll want to sell during interviews.
Able to bring consensus in areas that had been chaotic
Achieve the unachievable
Effectively get people to review a concept objectively
Get people to value consensus and to be willing to compromise
Effectively organize large educational seminars
Excellent at resolving disputes among diverse interest groups
Excellent at marketing programs and getting strong attendance
Excellent writer
Effectively organize committees
People enjoy and value the events organized
For three years, beginning in 1997, I held a volunteer office with the Rocky Mountain Ski Instructors Association. I was elected to this position by the association’s 3,000 ski instructors to reorganize and simplify the current methodology used for teaching skiing.
This had never been accomplished because there were so many systems of teaching, and there was also a widespread misuse of terminology. Everyone was set in their ways and were unwilling to compromise. This became a critical issue because state licensing and certification was necessary for ski instructors to teach on U.S. Forest Service land at state ski areas. The Forest Service required a single system.
To accomplish this I organized several large educational seminars each year to educate both ski instructors and certification examiners on a simplified American teaching system. As many as 500 people attended these two-day events. I spent many hours in various levels of committee meetings disseminating information and resolving disputes among these diverse interest groups. As a result of these efforts, I was able to develop a unified ski teaching method and get it adopted by the Rocky Mountain Ski Instructors Association.
In this accomplishment, the first skill regarding consensus building is a powerful skill that he will probably sell frequently. The ski instructors story is a perfect vehicle for selling that skill.
In interviews don’t try to quote your skills exactly as they appear with your accomplishments. Instead, describe a skill in a way that is consistent with the way you talk. For example, you might say, “I’m the person who can achieve consensus when everyone is strongly disagreeing. Somehow I just find a way. I listen to all the sides and then help each side understand the needs of the other. Eventually we reach agreement on even the toughest issues.”
Gain the support and involvement of people who are naturally defensive and hesitant
Develop innovative methods and techniques
Effectively analyze profitability of products and services
Able to analyze a complete product line, take it apart, and put it back together with greater profitability
Develop highly effective computer generated reports
Gain the confidence and absolute trust of people
I led a research group in studying the profitability of installment lending at U.S. Bancorp. I analyzed gross yields, handling costs, and loan losses for the various types of loans. I developed a consistent and accepted method for measuring handling costs among the several loan categories. My analysis gained credibility with the senior lending managers. I worked with the installment lending department and obtained their help in the project. The analysis revealed that some types of loans had very high handling costs and were not profitable. My analysis helped initiate a move away from unprofitable loan categories. After discussions with a senior executive at the bank, I developed a computer report for easy monitoring of the rates, maturity, and size characteristics of new loans. This process helped ensure that we kept profitability high.
In this example the fourth skill is likely to have the greatest impact. The person might state, “My strength is producing products with greater profit margins. I have the ability to analyze a complete product line, take it apart and put it back together with greater profitability.”
Develop effective systems that increase sales and productivity
Persuasive
Develop sales incentives