CAREER SEARCH TIP

Most individuals go to an interview meeting with the wrong intent in mind.  You should not go to an initial interview with the expectation of ‘getting the job.”  For one thing, offers are rarely made after one interview.

You should go with the intention of determining whether there may, or may not, be a potential fit between you and the hiring decision maker.  Therefore, the job interview is the highest form of informational meeting, that is, you are there to gather the information you need to determine if: A) you CAN solve the person’s problems; and B) do you WANT to solve his/her problems.

One of the interviewer’s tasks is to eliminate you.  They are looking for reasons NOT to hire a particular individual from their pool of interviewees.  To accomplish their task, there are four questions types they can ask you, although there are numerous ways to ask these questions.  These questions are:

1. Tell me about yourself
2. Why do you want to work here?
3. Sensitive questions, such as: “what are your weaknesses?” “Have you ever been fired?”, etc.
4. Salary questions

By determining which type of question they are asking, you are able to respond in a way NOT to get eliminated, and using the opportunity to emphasize your VALUE to the hiring decision maker.

Remember:  LISTEN carefully, THINK before speaking, emphasize your VALUE.