Page 97 - Oscar Adler - Sell Yourself in Any Interview_ Use Proven Sales Techniques to Land Your Dream Job (2008)

ASKING QUESTIONS WITH SKILL AND FINESSE

ahead of time will help you to prepare for the interview. Ask-
ing for it during the interview will make you look ill-pre-
pared, nervous as you fumble with the paper, and inattentive
if you try to review it on the spot.
If you are unable to get the information you need prior to
the interview, instead of asking for the organizational chart,
try using one of the soft questions or leading statement
techniques:

“I’m wondering how this job fits into the overall
organization.”
This invites the interviewer to give you much more informa-
tion than you ever will find on an organizational chart or in
a written job description. Even if you have seen a job descrip-
tion, you can use these techniques to ask for more detailed
information:

“I think I have a general understanding of what
the job entails, but I would like to know if you have
any additional information.”

EXAMPLES OF SOFT QUESTIONS

Let’s take a closer look at another example of a soft question
and how it will help you to get the information you want, as
well as possibly getting a hint about how the interviewer feels
about you.

Standard question: “Where do I stand, and what is the next
step?”
Soft question: “Would you please tell me about the hiring
process for this position?”

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