Page 88 - Oscar Adler - Sell Yourself in Any Interview_ Use Proven Sales Techniques to Land Your Dream Job (2008)

SELL YOURSELF IN ANY INTERVIEW

In this example, a good follow-up question might be

“I’m wondering how is success measured?”
Again, this is an open probe that leaves plenty of room for the
interviewer to elaborate on all the ways you might be evalu-
ated, both formally and informally. Notice how these open-
ended questions facilitate the conversation and make it easy
for the interviewer to provide you with valuable information.
Remember, the more the interviewer talks, the more you
learn. The more you learn from the interviewer, the better
chance you will have to relate your features to appropriate
benefits. When necessary, you can always follow up with
closed probes to get specific answers with such questions as

❏ “Can I get into the office early or stay after hours?”

❏ “Is there on-site parking for employees?”

❏ “Is there a cafeteria?”

Keep in mind that these very specific questions are probably
more appropriate in a second interview, when you know that
the interviewer is definitely interested in you.
Exhibit 4-1 is a quiz to help you recognize the difference
between open probes and closed probes.
All the questions in Exhibit 4-1 are closed probes. Here is a
simple way to determine whether a probe is open or closed:
If it can be answered in one word (often “Yes” or “No”) or just
a few words, it is a closed probe. In contrast, if it includes hints
as to how the interviewer feels about the subject at hand, it is an
open probe.
Once you get the hang of it, it is not difficult to ask an
open-probe question instead of a closed one. The worksheet
in Exhibit 4-2 gives you a chance to try using open probes
immediately.

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