You've mastered interview 101, now learn how to get through round two

Q. I have been interviewing for the past six months for a midlevel marketing position. After the first round of interviews, I think that I haven't done a great job, and that I haven't really "sold" myself as well as I could. Then, I'm sometimes pleasantly surprised when I get a phone call inviting me in for a second round of interviews. The problem is that I never make it past the second round of interviews. I must be doing something right to get that far in the interviewing process; but, I must be doing something wrong to be getting zero job offers. Can you help me figure out what's going on in my interviews?

A. It sounds as though you have mastered interviewing basics, because you get past the hurdle of the first interview. What you apparently are not doing is being able to close the deal. You need to convince the second-round interviewers that you really want the job and that they really want you in the job. Employers report that candidates who fail to convey enthusiasm for the position fail to be hired.

The first round of interviews is exploratory; people interview freely for jobs they may be ambivalent about. However, once you get to the second round of interviews, make sure you are pursuing only those jobs you truly want. If not, your lack of genuine interest in the position may be apparent to an astute interviewer and may be sabotaging your job search.

When you listen carefully during the first round of interviews, you will learn as much as possible about the company, the job, and what the hiring manager considers an ideal candidate. Prepare yourself for the second round of interviews according to the information that you have gathered.

Review the questions that were asked during the first interview. Often, interviewers ask the same or similar questions, but expect in-depth answers in the second interview to questions that you were able to gloss over in the first interview. Rehearse any questions that were tough for you to answer; revise or rethink any answers that didn't work well the first time. Select some new anecdotes, examples, and work stories to use as needed.

Think about the new job: What would it be like the first few months on the job? What challenges would you face? How would you set your priorities? What additional information would you need? What strengths and experiences of yours could you draw upon? Some of these questions are ones you will want to ask during your second interview. If you think about these questions, or ask them, or even try to answer them, then you can demonstrate to the employer that you care about the job, and that you are committed to being hired.

Figure out how you can present yourself not only as an applicant but also as someone who is already working in the job. As you imagine yourself in the job, ask questions of the people who would be your potential co-workers and supervisors. Listen carefully to their answers. Try to ally with them and understand the issues and challenges they face on a daily basis. By projecting an image of yourself as already on the job, you will be proving to the hiring manager how well you fit with his or her team.

Don't wait until the end to ask questions; ask questions throughout the interview. As much as possible, shape the interview to resemble a dialogue between colleagues, rather than a one-sided inquisition.

Be confident about moving on to the next step in the process and about receiving a job offer. At the end of the second round of interviews, make sure that you close the interview by asking something like, "What is the next step in the process? What additional information do you need from me?" Another way to close the interview is to reiterate how great a match you think the position is for your background, experience, skills, and qualifications -- and to list a few of your key strengths. Repeat your enthusiasm for the position; and then ask the interviewer if he or she has "any reservations about your candidacy"? Depending on the interviewer's answer, you will have a brief opportunity to address any weakness that is mentioned, or perhaps correct a misperception about your qualifications. This is often a useful technique, but one that many job-seekers are hesitant to try. An even bolder close to the interview is to ask, what else can I do to convince you that I am your top candidate?" Restate your interest in the position and outline again the match between the essential requirements of the job and your qualifications.

If you want some biblio-coaching, here are a few interviewing books my career counseling colleagues recommend: The Everything Job Interview Book, by Bob Adams, a favorite of Folly Patterson, associate director of the Center for Careers at Wellesley College; Fearless Interviewing: What to Do Before, During and After an Interview, by Marky Stein, and 250 Interview Questions, by Peter Verluck, recommended by independent career coaches Jane McHale and JoAnne Hadlock; and Winning the Interview Game: Everything You Need to Know to Land the Job, by Alan H. Hierenberg, which a client of mine found useful.

If you continue to have second interviews without getting any job offers, ask politely for feedback. Clarify that you are not questioning the company's decision but are just trying to improve your interviewing technique so you can interview more successfully. You may find the hiring decisions have less to do with what you're doing wrong than what the other candidate is doing right.

Write an "I'm disappointed but keep me in mind should something else open up" letter if you are not hired for a job you really wanted. It's a classy touch, and one that has resulted in more than one job seeker getting a job in the same company. Keep in touch with human resources if you have had several interviews and you liked the company, even if the specific job wasn't the right fit for you. Interviewing is a numbers game; you may have to suffer many rejections before you hear that elusive yes.

Several factors decide jobless benefit eligibility
Q. I have been at my current place of employment for the last 16 months and they are planning to relocate the office 20 to 30 miles away. My question is simple: If I choose not to make the move due to the long-distance commute, will I be entitled to collect unemployment insurance? I know that when certain hardships are in place, this is allowed; but how difficult will it be to justify?

A. Unfortunately, I am unable to answer your question with any certainty. The only way for you to know whether you would be eligible to collect unemployment insurance benefits is to file a claim and receive a determination from the Massachusetts Division of Unemployment Assistance. Each claim must be evaluated based on the facts and circumstances of that case. DUA does not predetermine eligibility for unemployment benefits.

Anyone who leaves a job voluntarily must prove that he or she left with "good cause," says Linnea Walsh, the director of communications at the Massachusetts Executive Office of Labor and Workforce Development. In your case, you must prove that commuting to your employer's new location would present a hardship to you. If DUA determines the new location is beyond a reasonable commuting distance, then you will be eligible to collect unemployment insurance benefits. There is no minimum mileage requirement; distance is only one of several factors that your DUA representative will evaluate to determine eligibility.

If you like your job, I suggest you delay your decision about leaving. Instead of acting impulsively, why not try the commute to the new location, for a few months at least.

Talk with your supervisor, co-workers and human resources to see if there are any options for a more flexible work schedule; telecommuting; carpooling; gasoline and/or public transportation subsidies, etc. Perhaps all of you can work out some creative solutions.

Employers may at times seek bilingual employees
Q. I have a question about whether an employer can base a job interview or offer on whether I can speak Spanish. I work in the restaurant industry. Every time I interview with a possible employer, they ask me if I speak Spanish. On the job posting, they do not say the applicant has to be fluent in Spanish. Furthermore, the food in the restaurants is typically American, and the menus are written in English. I have been passed over for many jobs because of this. I want to know if this is legal.

A. It's understandable that employers prefer to hire people who have some fluency in Spanish when the job requires the ability to be able to communicate with Spanish-speaking staff.

If you are applying for jobs in a kitchen, the interviewer's questions likely are meant to determine whether you would be able to communicate with those of the kitchen staff who speak only Spanish. There appears to be nothing illegal in these questions or in the hiring process that you describe. What would be illegal is if this language requirement were a pretext for hiring only people of Spanish origin, and thus resulted in de facto discrimination against others who apply. Nothing in your question suggests this is the case. If you do feel you have been discriminated against, you can contact the Massachusetts Commission Against Discrimination. Go to their website, mass.gov/mcad or call 617-994-6000 for additional information about filing a complaint against an employer.

Although it may be possible for you to find a job match in the food service industry where Spanish is not a requirement, even a basic knowledge of conversational Spanish could open more opportunities for you. Therefore, I suggest you might want to consider enrolling in a conversational Spanish course.

Roni F. Noland is a career counselor/coach in private practice. She can be reached at rfnoland@comcast.net. E-mail questions to jobdoc@globe.com or mail to Job Doc, Boston Globe, Box 55819, Boston, 02205-5819.