To survive the career game, put on a game face.

How to be ready for your next job interview when you’ve been working a long, long time.

Michael had been working for a long time, with progressive promotions and raises. He hadn’t been job hunting for a long time.

One day a corporate recruiter asked Michael if he’d consider interviewing for a job in another company. Michael hadn’t been looking actively, but the job sounded good so he decided to try.

He did fine with the substantive “What projects do you work on?” questions.

But one question stumped him: “What kind of boss do you like to work for?”

Caught by surprise, Michael said, “I like a boss who’s available to answer questions and give me feedback.”

Michael didn’t plan to go on interviews, but he’s an achiever. He wanted to unravel the mystery: How should he prepare next time?

Interviews aren’t about making friends.

Whether you’re interviewing for a job, networking or making a client presentation, you’ve entered a business relationship. And business relationships differ from friendships.

So when you enter a business or a sports arena, you put on a uniform and wear your game face. You follow the rules. Long-time successful players (like Diana Taurasi and…