Funeral listings (June 28)

DUNN, Virginia A., 86, of Fargo, Texas. Funeral services at 10 a.m. Wednesday at First Baptist Church. Burial in Eastview Cemetery. Visitation from 6 to 8 p.m. today.

FLEMING, Eddie, 67, of Charlie, Texas. Funeral services at 10 a.m. today at Davis Funeral Home, Henrietta. Burial to follow in Charlie Cemetery.

HUSTON, Margaret F., 93. Services at 10 a.m. today at the Church of Christ, Throckmorton. Burial in Throckmorton Cemetery.

LEVY, Miriam C.G. Memorial services at 10 a.m. Saturday at Floral Heights United Methodist Church, Wichita Falls. Visitation to follow.

MARTIN, Lloyd N., 87, of Terral, Okla. Funeral services at 10 a.m. today at the Terral Church of Christ. Burial in Terral Cemetery.

NEWMAN, Betty P. of Dallas, formerly of Wichita Falls. Funeral services at 10:30 a.m. today at Bentwood Trail Presbyterian Church, Dallas. Memorial services at 1 p.m. Wednesday at First Presbyterian Church, Wichita Falls.

SHANKLIN, Billy A., 89. Graveside services at 10 a.m. today in Cope Cemetery, Retta, Texas.

SLADE, Georgia A., 73, of Frederick, Okla. Funeral services at 10 a.m. Wednesday at Jackson Funeral Home. Burial in Tipton Cemetery.

Toot Your Horn in Interviews Like Miles Davis | Career Rocketeer

One of if not the most common interview questions is “Tell me a little something about yourself?”

On the flip side, in my coaching practice and during Q&A sessions at seminars, talk shows and job fairs I’ve participated in people often tell me “I have no problem tooting someone else’s horn, but I have a real problem tooting my own. What can I do?”

Worse yet during the thousands of interviews I have conducted too many candidates overextended themselves or kept rambling on about “some useless information that’s supposed to fire my imagination” (Rolling Stones) and ended up talking themselves out of contention for a position I thought they were a good candidate for.

So the two-fold question is how to answer this ubiquitous question and what in the world does Miles Davis have to do with this?

Let me answer the second question first. Miles Davis had two qualities every job seeker needs to emulate. The first is obvious; Miles Davis could toot his own horn better than any musician I know. This was true in both his trumpet playing and when he spoke publicly about himself and his music. He had a confidence in his ability that came through loud and clear that was an integral part of his public persona. This is what every job seeker has to work on and perfect. No matter what your do for a living and how experienced or inexperienced you are you need to exude confidence in who you are and come across as poised and positive about whom you are and the value you possess.

The second and perhaps more valuable quality that Miles had was his ability to adapt and change with the times; and not just over a few years but over several decades. When music changed direction Miles Davis was always at the forefront and got ahead of the curve rather than falling behind it. This is an important lesson on survival for job seekers in today’s job market, especially those in the vulnerable 40+ Club. Since the business world is constantly evolving it is imperative that you keep pace and let people know this about you.

Now let’s dissect this question and see how you can improve your answer during your next job interview.

First off notice how the interviewer’s question is phrased (if they do not say it assume this is their intention) “tell me a LITTLE bit about yourself”; the optimal word here being little. So here are a few tips in random order on how to prepare for and answer this ice breaking question and start the interview off on the right foot.

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