General Guidelines for an Interview - the Sales Call
- Treat the interview as a sales call. Find out what the employers' needs are so you can sell yourself effectively.
- Your interpersonal skills are more important than your background, experience, or education.
- Most individuals don't talk enough during an interview; they respond but do not initiate conversation.
- Go into the interview with questions based on an agenda:
- What do you want to communicate about yourself?
- What impression do you want to make?
- What do you need to learn about the employer?
The Value of Asking Questions
Asking appropriate questions helps you:
- To understand what the employers need so you can sell yourself effectively
- To assess whether you want the job
- To build a working relationship grounded in give and take communication
It Doesn't Hurt to Ask
If there is one thing that is evident about human nature it is that most people hate to ask for what they want. They can be brilliant, successful or rich and they can still be afraid to ask. It isn't that asking for what they are asking for is outrageous or unreasonable. They are usually fearful of confrontation or having others think they are greedy, pushy, or offensive. Sometimes they flat out forget to ask. If you don't ask, you won't know what the other party might be willing to give you. You won't even know if they would be happy to give you - if only you'd asked.