Page 62 - Oscar Adler - Sell Yourself in Any Interview_ Use Proven Sales Techniques to Land Your Dream Job (2008)

SELL YOURSELF IN ANY INTERVIEW

wants to know is what you can do for him or her. But how do
you know what the interviewer wants? How can you learn
what is important to each interviewer? How can you express
your skills and experience as a benefit to the interviewer?
By listening.
Although this seems simple enough, it may not be so easy
to figure out how to get the information you need in a tradi-
tional interview. Most interviews are set up in a question-and-
answer format. The interviewer asks the questions, and the
candidate answers them. Under these circumstances, it may
seem that you, as the candidate, have no control over the
flow of the interview.
Before I launch into how improving your listening skills
can give you control and confidence, I’m going to let you in
on a little secret: Most interviewers are given little or no train-
ing on how to conduct an interview. Often a manager is put
in the position of conducting an interview based on the size
of the company, growth of the department, position and level
of the employee, and a variety of other factors. Some may
interview monthly, whereas others may have to interview
only once or twice a year. No matter how much experience an
interviewer has, it’s important to remember that most people
hire by their gut feeling.
First impressions are lasting impressions. The interviewer
may be every bit as uncomfortable as you are. After all, the
interviewer’s success depends on making good hiring deci-
sions, and there is usually a great deal of pressure to hire
the right person. Bad hiring decisions result in turnovers, and
the cost of a turnover is high—often upward of twice an
employee’s annual salary—in recruiting fees, training costs,
lost time, lost productivity, and severance. In addition to
the monetary cost of turnovers, bad hires waste time, lose
business, cause embarrassment, and breed negative energy

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