How the Larry King Method of Interviewing Can Help Your Job Search

Larry King is a master at interviewing. Curiously, he's said on more than one occasion that he doesn't prepare for the interviews. Instead, he says, he prefers to go in cold and let the conversation develop organically.

This works well for Larry King. But can this technique work for job seekers who are being interviewed? Can it work for those of us who are NOT Larry King?

Perhaps. But only if you follow the basic rules of what it is to BE Larry King:

Warehouse of knowledge. Larry King is really smart. He has conducted thousands of interviews and absorbs info nuggets like a sponge. He has been able to leverage the information he has gleaned from his past guests to interview his present and future subjects. While he claims not to do prepare for his interviews, Larry King has the luxury of not needing to. If you've gained a library of information like Larry King, you might be able to pull this off - but if not, you're probably better off preparing for your interviews ahead of time.

Play dumb. One of the best techniques Larry King uses when interviewing his guests is to play dumb. The emphasis, here, is on the word "play." Like a skilled card shark, Larry King does not show his cards. He knows more than what he lets on. Larry King typically won't ask a question unless he knows the answer to it. He uses the pre-ordained answer, once given, as a launch pad to other questions. This technique can be used by most job seekers during interviews, but it takes a great deal of practice. Like Larry King, you want to PLAY dumb - not APPEAR dumb.

Hit key points. Larry King is typically five questions ahead of his subjects. He knows what topics to highlight and which to sweep under the rug. By knowing where he wants to guide the interviews, Larry King is able to show his subjects in any light he wants. More to the point, Larry King is able to show himself in a good light. Much in the same way, job seekers can make themselves look good by staying a few steps ahead of their interviewers. Knowing how to guide interviews is a key to having successful interviews - and getting offers.

IN A NUTSHELL: You might be able to use Larry King's non-prep technique if you already know a lot about your subject, can successfully show less than you know, and stay a few steps ahead of the one interviewing you. But it's almost always advisable to actually prepare for your interviews. Hey - we can't all be Larry King.