Like this:

How many of you have experienced an awkward and abrupt ending to an interview?  I had my fair share of awkward moments early in my professional career while interviewing.  What makes this experience awkward is that you were likely having a terrific give-and-take dialogue with the interviewer and then it comes to an abrupt end. It lacked flow and did not gracefully segue to the part where you shake hands and leave.  Once the interviewer finished asking you questions, the tables turned and you were presented with an opportunity to ask questions of your own.  As I strongly endorsed in a previous blog post—“Interviewing is a Two-Way Street”—it is your obligation to prepare and ask the interviewer a strong set of questions.  You need to determine if this hiring manager and company are a good fit for you.  As you finish asking questions of the interviewer, your final question should be: “Now that we have had an opportunity to have an open dialogue, do you have any reservations or concerns regarding my qualifications or ability to perform well in this position?”

This is your one opportunity to uncover and overcome unspoken concerns or objections by the interviewer.  You will not get a second chance to address objections, which could simply be a misunderstanding or disconnect by the interviewer.  If you uncover potential concerns, then you can address them directly and face-to-face, which you can also reinforce in your thank you letter.  Fail to uncover concerns or objections by the interviewer, and weeks later you will be left wondering what went wrong.  On the flip side, it is more likely that you will not uncover any concerns or objections, which will help serve as a sort of barometer of how you have performed during the interview.  I call this a soft, but premature, buying signal. 

Let’s recap.  You successfully answered all questions asked.  You prepared and asked a strong, insightful list of questions of the interviewer, including when you should expect to hear of the company’s timeframe to make a decision.  You are all set, right?  WRONG!  Now you have to seal the deal, which for many a job candidate can be the most difficult and intimidating part of the whole process.  You have to…wait for it…ASK FOR THE JOB!  That’s right, you have to ask for the job.  Companies want to hire job candidates who can prove and demonstrate their excitement and enthusiasm to come aboard.  However, there is a certain art and subtlety to asking for the job.  You can’t simply and overtly blurt out “So, when can I start?” 

Instead, you need to take softer approach to asking for the job.  Try this:  “Thank you for taking time to meet with me today.  I want to emphasize that I really want this job.  It’s a good match for my experience and qualifications working in [insert function and/or industry], and I am confident I can make a strong contribution and add value to your team.”  If you conclude the interview in this manner, you will exit a proud peacock booming with confidence.

Advertisement