As discussed in last week's column, we are going to devote the next several weeks to the subject of interviewing. Last week we discussed the basics and stressed the importance of practicing your interview skills and preparation.

Today's column will focus on acting skill. Acting skill? Yes. Acting skill. Before we discuss interviewing skill, let's talk about any persuasive form of communication. Have you ever noticed that when trying to persuade someone to see things your way it is always useful to have facts and figures to back up your argument. Consider a passionate conversation between you and a communication adversary. You could be discussing any topic, but if you have data to back up your argument, you have a better chance of winning. Say the subject is baseball. Your opponent feels that player A is better than player B. You think player B is better than player A, so the argument goes something like this. Don Mattingly is 100 times better than Tino Martinez will ever be. "Oh?" you say. Compare the statistics last year. Mattingly hit .288, Martinez over .300. Mattingly had less than 10 homers, Martinez hit 31. Mattingly had 55 RBI's, Martinez knocked in over 100. Then you add, "True, the legacy of Mattingly is greater than the short- lived legacy of Martinez," (to show that his argument is not completely without merit), but as far as the bottom line, run production, Martinez has the advantage." What can your adversary say now? It would be much more difficult to convince the same adversary if all you said is that Martinez had a better year than Mattingly. Not as convincing is it? You must apply this same thinking to the interview.

Rule #3

Act accordingly. You should be proud of your accomplishments, so act like you are proud of them. Be upbeat. Be self-confident. Here is an example that I hope will convince you that you are almost always acting. Consider how you behave when you are trying to convince your spouse to do something he or she might not be crazy about doing. Are you playful? Does your voice change? How about your mannerisms? Now consider how you communicate with your spouse when you are sick? Do you act weak and pathetic? Strong but stalwart? What causes you to act a certain way? You are subconsciously trying to illicit a desired response. Don't think, even for a moment, that you are not acting -- almost all the time. Here is a direct quote from the consummate actor, Marlon Brando -"Acting is the quintessential method of obtaining what you want -- whether it is a politician in search of votes or a baby in search of his next meal." When you walk into an interview for which you are qualified and prepared, make sure you have your acting shoes on. You know you can act in a myriad of ways so turn on the professionalism and the charm. Just remember not to overdo it.

Rule #4

You must accumulate, analyze and collate facts in order to increase your ability to persuade an employer to hire you. We have devoted much time and space to learning about the company that will be interviewing you, but how much time have you spent reviewing the facts, figures and accomplishments of your career that could be useful to a potential employer? Review what you have accomplished. Re-read your resume and performance analyses. Do your accomplishments translate into dollars and cents? Are there facts or figures that could bolster your status as a manager, trainer or leader? ls there information you can impart about past experiences that would make the interviewer think that he or she should be trying to screen you in, not out? More next week.

By Scott Passeser

Copyright 1996 by Long Island Commercial Review Inc.