Page 118 - Boost Your Hiring

104 Boost Your Hiring IQ

ANSWERS
The Strongest Answer
(B) This is the strongest answer because it shows when the candi-
date actually negotiated a deal. It also shows how this person is
good at taking the initiative. A candidate can say that he or she
takes the initiative, but this example shows specific actions this
candidate actually took. The fact that she treated the vendor
with a professional demeanor and listened to him says a lot
about the candidate. The outcome was positive in this case, but
there doesn’t always have to be a “happy ending.” The best re-
sults have to do with the candidate’s behavior and actions and
not necessarily the financial gain.

The Mediocre Answer
(A) This is a mediocre answer because although the candidate
gives the specifics of the situation and even the end results,
there are no details about the actual method the candidate used
to negotiate the deal. You will have to probe to find out more
information. Consider asking:
• Did you initiate the negotiation to get a better deal?
• How much did you save the company in comparison to what
it was paying before your negotiation?

The Weakest Answer
(C) This answer is the weakest answer although it does have some
interesting facts that could require further probing. The ques-
tion asks for a specific example of a negotiation. This answer
tells of a savings of $10,000 over a year, but it does not tell how
the person used her negotiation skills to save this much
money. In other words, did the company have to agree with
any terms in order to get bigger discounts? Was there a vol-
ume agreement, or did the company just offer better prices?

RATE YOURSELF

If you chose answer (B), give yourself 5 points.
If you chose answer (A), give yourself 3 points.
If you chose answer (C), give yourself 0 points. _____