Interview Brag Book

How to create & use an interview 'brag book'
George Gurney, DearHeadhunter.com

LOS ANGELES, CA -- The term brag book is a loose phrase that has evolved over the years. It describes the handouts given to a potential employer, usually done during the first interview. A brag book can be just a few letters stapled together or a formal presentation booklet. Typically, it's a collection of letters of recommendation ("attaboys"), successful projects, yearly reviews, contests won, awards earned, letters of recommendation, product displays, advertising copy, spreadsheets and the like.

These documents serve to validate your successes. Resist the temptation to open your brag book during an interview. When you start previewing your book, the dialogue stops. If the employer starts reading, you're losing the interview. The best brag books are constructed with copies (not originals) to be left behind for the employer to keep. Your closing statement should be, "Ms. Employer, I would like to leave you information about some of my accomplishments for you to review later."

Brag books, like a resume, should be focused and current. Put the most recent information at the front of the book. Limit the amount of pages. Don't include personal letters. Do not include any information prior to college with a few exceptions such as being an Eagle Scout, the valedictorian, an Olympic contestant, etc. And remember, don't open the book during the interview. Rather, leave a copy for later review.


This article is reprinted here with permission from The Career News