D_A__Hayden_and_Michael_Wilder: Absolutely, it's the difference between belonging to a gym and having a personal trainer. BUT, you must do research to find the best coach to suit your needs, and COMMIT to working hard with your coach to get the most out of the experience. P.S. Hayden-Wilder has a 98% success rate with our program graduates.

D_A__Hayden_and_Michael_Wilder: Yes, clothes are important. First impressions are exactly that. Once you get hired you can wear what ever is appropriate for the job environment. No one ever lost out on a job for being well dressed.

D_A__Hayden_and_Michael_Wilder: You should definitely contacty the Advertising Club of Boston. It is a great organization that provides networking opportunities with people in all aspects of the ad world -- media, creative, account service, etc. They have great programs for entry level professionals. Also try the Publicity Club of Boston (Pub Club of Boston) and PRSA.

D_A__Hayden_and_Michael_Wilder: We specialize in working with recent college graduates, and candidates in the age range of 22-32. At this point in our client's careers, they don't have much of a management style developed. If you are older and more experienced and asked this question, first examine your style, crfat a coherent description of that style and BE HONEST AND OPEN in describing your style in an interview. The last thing you want to do is describe a style that's not your own, and then get the job and fail.

D_A__Hayden_and_Michael_Wilder: Your work experience and ability to contribute to the company's goals and, importantly, your COMMITMENT to the company. Remember, you need to think like an interviewer; this is an opportunity to appeal to the company, not just talk about yourself.

D_A__Hayden_and_Michael_Wilder: Titles are not as important as accomplishments. Be sure you accurately describe your responsibilities and clearly explain you work for a company that does not give away titles freely. We believe in demonstating accomplishments both in the actual resume and in the interview itself.

D_A__Hayden_and_Michael_Wilder: Don't ever hesitate to pick up the phone, make a call and ASK. You can talk to the human resources department or the assistant to the person with whom you are interviewing. Be advised, even if the environment is described as casual, dress impeccably and look totally put together and professional.

D_A__Hayden_and_Michael_Wilder: It depends on what you mean by management. If you are looking at a management position in a corporation, do all your homework. Researching the company's website is simply the price on entry. Look on competitive websites, review Hoovers, read the chairman's letter in the annual report, read analyst reports, google members of management and come up with a perspective on the business. Show you really put some thought into what you read.

D_A__Hayden_and_Michael_Wilder: If it's a retail management interview, go visit the stores, branches, etc. Take in everything, draw conclusions, and share your thinking in the interview. It will really show you have initiative.

D_A__Hayden_and_Michael_Wilder: Check out the artile in yesterday's Boston Globe Business Section, written by Diane Lewis. It mentions some terrific sites for information on jobs with virtual offices, and where telecommuting is preferred and encouraged.

D_A__Hayden_and_Michael_Wilder: We had a senior vice president working for us at an advertising agency and she had the same issue. She was blonde, attractive and always dressed well. Her differentiator was pretty simple and she was always taken seriously: when she opened her mouth to speak, she was simply brilliant. That's a pretty easy way to be taken seriously. Be very intentional and thoughtful about everything you say and do, and stop worrying about looking young. Your young appearance will serve you well when you hit middle age...

D_A__Hayden_and_Michael_Wilder: International experience is a terrific asset, if you are looking at working for a global company or a company with global aspirations. If you are looking at a company that is local or regional or only operating in the US, it could be offputting. The key is to make your experience and problem solving abilities RELEVANT to the potential employer. Think of your accomplishments, as opposed to a menu of your work experience.

D_A__Hayden_and_Michael_Wilder: Appropriate follow-up is imperative to executing a good job search plan. You should call the potential employer and find out as much as you can about why you didn't get the job. But, beware, they will probably not tell you much, as that's not their job. As well, call your references and find out what kind of questions were asked of them. You can learn a lot that way as well. We work with many clients who have experienced the same problem as you have, and we can usually pinpoint the issue upon spending just a short amount of time with the client. Feel free to call us if you need more information. 617-367-1412.

D_A__Hayden_and_Michael_Wilder: If you are a specialist in HR and not Finance, and are asked a finance question in a case-based fashion, you need to tell the interviewer right up front that you are not a finance whiz, but would approach the situation in the following manner...

D_A__Hayden_and_Michael_Wilder: Case-based interviews are designed to understand how you THINK, not to determine what you KNOW. So, show the interviewer how logical and well thought out and considered you are. Don't worry so much about the subject matter. The answer is less important than the process.

D_A__Hayden_and_Michael_Wilder: Good luck this afternoon!

D_A__Hayden_and_Michael_Wilder: You should always have your references lined up in advance of the interview. But, it is important that you have enough time to give each one of your references a heads-up that they will be receiving a call. To that end, the timing is all about how quickly you can alert your references that they may be getting a call. If they know they are basically on-call, you can give the references information on the spot. If you need to take a few minutes and brief the reference on key messages and the content of the interview, you'll need to delay providing names until the next day.

D_A__Hayden_and_Michael_Wilder: Unfortunately, this is all a matter of time and manners. Most HR people are swamped and don't have time to follow up in the way they and the candidate would prefer.

D_A__Hayden_and_Michael_Wilder: If you are a candidate, however, follow-up is key. Keep calling and/or emailing, but use your best judgement in determining the frequency of contact, so you don't become a nudge.