Competency-Based Interviews: Master the Tough New Interview Style and Give Them the Answers That Will Win You the Job

As a Columbia MBA student, I found Kessler's book really helpful. I've found interviewing at business school very difficult because I'm surrounded by amazingly well-qualified competition! Interviews are one of my weakest points and I've read a bunch of interview guides in the hopes of finding out what I'm doing wrong. Until this book, I found these guides kind of useless and a waste of money (e.g. the Vault Guide to Finance Interviews). But this book was great. It has changed the way I view interviews and has made interviews considerably less scary. While other books talk about what and what not to say, she focuses more on the approach to your answers. I found this more applicable and practical. Instead of focusing on you, Kessler focuses on the interviewer. She gives the interviewer's perspective and examples of what the interviewer might have in front of him or her during the interview. This gave me a better idea of what interviewers are looking for and how I should structure my answers. Building answers around competencies has made my answers more strong and concise. Kessler also has a section of interview examples and her critiques of the candidate's answers. I recognized a bunch of mistakes I made when I was interviewing for jobs after college. I wish I had this book back then! I'm sure it would have opened a lot more windows of opportunity (or at least ended the job search sooner). These kinds of books tend to stress me out. Kessler's writing is clear and the pacing was just right for someone like me. It was easy to absorb the main points and see how I could apply them to myself. I still got a panic-y feel in my stomach, but much less than I usually get. The summary tables at the end of each chapter were great because they helped me make sure I got what I was supposed to get out of each chapter. I highly recommend this book. It's helped me get a better idea of why I haven't received offers for jobs I know I was well qualified for. Now instead of just being frustrated about it, I have a way to deal with it!

I loaned my copy to two friends going to interviews for big jobs. Both of them raved about how this book put them in to a fame of mind that made them very comfortable going into and during their actual interviews. It makes you think about questions and areas of your past work expereinces that you should and should not talk about and how to talk about them. Great buy.

Competency-Based Interviews, who would have thought that the world of interviewing had changed so much and that no one had told me or the career services counselors at my school. Well for those how don't know, it has. I should know, I had been looking for a job and going to interviews for sometime before I found Ms. Kessler's book and began employing her tactics in my interviews. Ms. Kessler's book casts a new light on the interviewing process. It provided insights that I had not seen in any of the materials I looked at previously. It provides the tools and the guidance to effectively approach and answer those difficult questions we all face in an interview. Ms. Kessler takes the reader through the entire process from the start of the interview to how you can best maximize your return when you get the offer for the perfect job. This book also provides the reader with those little known tips and nuances that help turn a good interview into a great one. I would recommend this book to anyone that is preparing for an interview. Whether you are a recent graduate or an experienced professional, the insights to be gleamed are worth your time.

Ms. Kessler's book is so clear and readable that in just two days it prepared me for three critical interviews. Most people interview only every several years, and this book helps knock off the rust quickly and completely! Now I know I can be ready whenever opportunity knocks--a good feeling. This book may be even more valuable for interviewers than interviewees. Using the techniques Ms. Kessler so clearly explains will yield you much more and much better information about the suitability for the job of every person you interview! Ed Overtree New York

Everyone is afraid of the dreaded job interview. Correctly prepare and you can put your mind at ease. I know because I am a former sweaty-palm interviewee. Through this book ---Competency-Based Interviews---I've found the not-so-common-sense skills that are essential to landing that perfect job, or that first job. Clear, concise, and step-by-step this leads the job candidate through the modern day interview that is assessing your skill set more than your diploma. I've learned how to identify the competency questions that I will be asked in relationship to the job duties and the company culture. During interviews, I can give examples of my winning experiences using the right, active language. And, I can answer the follow up questions that delve deeper. This is a must-keep reference text with easy to use summary tables that allow the reader to quickly locate key questions and answers. ->Paul Urban in Cleveland, Ohio. <br />