If you're asked a question that you can provide multiple answers for (ie. "How would you approach ...") after providing multiple options, try asking the interviewer his take on the problem. People love talking about themselves and their own opinions. The interviewer will end up liking you more without knowing why.
This sounds like a good approach. I've tried to do a little bit of this type of thing, but could probably use a lot more. I also kind of vacillate between wanting to asking questions and not wanting to seem like I'm hijacking the interview. Sometimes it seems like they just have their list of questions that they're plowing through so it feels more awkward to ask my own question in the middle of their laundry list.
There are a huge number of psychological tricks that can be used in interviewing, sometimes subverting the process entirely, and the one above is one of the better ones.
In successful interviews the other guys can do 1/2-2/3 of the talking. If you can focus on developing empathy with them, that can get you 100% across the finish line.
I'll just say at 40 there are situations where I dye my hair.
I'm at the "salt and pepper" stage, and it doesn't look bad but certainly if you show up in a high pressure situation people will have a better impression of you.
Since I go heads down for months at a time and only get a haircut when I'm going on tour for some reason, it's pretty cost effective.
If this is really an issue of phone interviews if you contact me I can do a 10 minute mock interview and try to diagnose any communications you have that could be offputting to people.
I probably have a few years until I have to start dying it for anything, but I guess I could see where that would make sense eventually. Thanks the ideas - I think with the suggestions here that it might be enough to get me started on trying to redefine these interviews in the future.
