Your Interview Secret Weapon

Have you ever been on a date where you had nothing in common so you spent your time asking questions about the other person's past?

"Where did you work before that? Where did you grow up? Where did you move to after that? How many brothers do you have?"

You get the idea. Your brain is in escape mode and your mouth is simply buying time until you can leave.

Many people find themselves in the same situation at interviews and spend all their time talking about the past, trying to defend their resume. This a really bad sign and if you find it happening to you then you're probably not going to get the job.

But there is a devastatingly simple way you can turn the interview around.

What if you asked this question instead:

"You want to hire someone to make something *happen* - so what is it you want to have happen from this job?"

Asking an employer what outcome or what they want to happen from this job completely turns the interview around and an interviewer or employer will start to tell you what they want... Now you can give them examples from your PAST (your resume) that demonstrate you can deliver the outcomes the employer is looking for.

Now instead of talking about your past, you can now talk about your potential.

Now instead of giving the usual staid examples of how you handled a bad situation with a customer, you can talk about the job itself, and the challenges these guys are trying to overcome. You can then take them by the hand and reassure them that not only is your past not your potential but you'll show them how your talents, skills and experience can deliver all they're looking for and MORE.

Not bad, eh?

There's one caveat on this approach though. When you ask the "what do you want to have happen" question of the interviewer, they may not know the answer!

This can be especially true of HR people who spend their days thinking up hard interview questions and have NO idea that the people they hire are the fuel for their company's growth and innovation. If you were to ask the manager of a hotel restaurant what they want to happen when they hire a waiter you'll get a totally different response than if you ask the same question to the HR manager of the hotel.

Nonetheless, asking "What do you want to have happen if you hire me for this job?" gives you a fantastic opportunity to talk about the job and the challenges they're facing.

Hopefully the person you will be working for will be in the interview as well, but if it's just the HR people then ask the question and explore their answers. More than likely there will be a second interview in which case you'll most probably be interviewed by your potential manager. Make sure you ask them what THEY want to have happen and explore the answer with them.

So, before you head off to your next interview, make sure you print a piece of paper with the question "What do you want to make happen" printed on it and space to make notes underneath. (Yes! You are allowed to take notes in with you and to ask questions! Hard to believe I know!)

This simple thing will turn you into a candidate that stands apart and commands respect.

Hi - I'm a marketing junkie who gets off on helping job seekers find their talent at my site http://www.job-secrets-revealed.com. I'm also a paraglider pilot to which people suggest I have a death wish but to me it's more of a life wish.


More Resources

Can Nurses Be Entrepreneurs?
Yes, Nurses can be entrepreneurs. In today's market place nursing has a unique service to offer not only to hospitals but nursing homes, private care and doctor offices.
How to Change Career Horses in Mid-Stream
You'll get wet but the reward just might be a more fulfilling ride!In Survival is Not Enough, author Seth Godin says change is the "new normal." Rather than thinking of work as a series of stable times interrupted by moments of change, Godin says we "must now recognize work as constant change, with only occasional moments of stability.
Rich Career, Poor Career
What makes for a rich career? It is more than just the salary and benefits. A rich career is one that suits your talents and provides an opportunity to make a meaningful contribution, as well as one that provides the right compensation.
Stacking The Deck In Your Favor
Many people do not bother to look at their own magnificence and without that view it is not likely that we will recognize the need for strategies to maximize our strengths. When we buy an outfit for a special affair, we automatically try to coordinate each piece so that they enhance one another and amplify our sense of "looking good" from head to toe.
Learning a Foreign Language
Many people love learning languages or would like to learn a language and use their language skills in a job. In today's global economy the demand for language skills continues to grow as governments, businesses and organisations build relationships with foreign interests.
Is Your Resume Doing ITS Job?
Is it opening doors to new opportunities? Does it compel the reader to think, "Hey! This applicant can ?put that one on top of the 'call in for an interview' pile!" Does it showcase what you have accomplished for past employers as well as what you can accomplish for the potential employer?Your resume is your personal marketing tool that must immediately convey to the reader that you CAN and WILL be a positive driving force to further their organization's mission. They have a need to QUICKLY get thru all the resumes received in response to their job posting so you've got to QUICKLY grab their attention.
So You Want To Be a Nurse When You Grow Up?
You're interested in becoming a nurse. How do you get into the field? First of all, you need to assess your basic interest.
Handling the Dreaded Why Did You Leave? Question
If you left your last job under less-than-ideal circumstances, you probably dread the "Why did you leave?" question that almost always comes up at job interviews. Here's how to handle it.
Career Searching: A Vision Without A Plan is a Hallucination
Success is not always something you necessarily find when you arrive. It may be the journey that gets you there.
Want to Work for Yourself? Those Dream Jobs Dont Just Happen, Theyre Created
While traveling in northern California last October, I happened to tune into a local newscast. The newscaster was telling his co-anchor that the speaker at that morning's Rotary Club meeting had to cut his presentation short because he was being flown down to Disneyland to carve elaborate Halloween pumpkins for the park festivities.
Business Dress for Women: Making Impact
Buying a suit can be an important investment when you are trying to improve your look for business or career advancement. Wearing a standard off-the rack suit for business or a job interview does not always mean success.
Create A Rappin' Resume
(Percussion sounds emanating from who knows where while you listen to the cadence of the words below.)It's time to sell yourself.
Dissatisfied With Your Job? Stop Putting Your Attention on What You Dont Want!
If I were to ask you the percentage of time you spend thinking about what you don't want, what would it be? And the percentage of time thinking about what you do want?Experience with my clients has shown me that most of us spend a lot more time thinking about what we don't want. Some examples when it comes to our job include:-I hate my commute.
Writing CVs and Resumes for Professionals with Examples
Tips on writing your Skills and Achievement Based CV (ABCV) by Mike Kelley at First ImpressionsConducting a job search is like marketing and selling a product -- with YOU as the product. The best way to market yourself is to go through this sales sequence.
Five Mistakes That Can Derail Your Job Search
No matter how much time and energy you invest in job seeking, critical mistakes can derail your efforts. Consider the following job search scenario.
Reinvent Your Career In Five Simple Steps
The phrase "reinventing yourself" seems to be popping up all over lately. Just a few days ago a friend asked me how he could do it without starting completely over.
For Effective Decisions, Look Beyond Career Stereotypes
You've probably been taught not to stereotype people based on race, religion or sex. But when you make a career or business decision, do you still make decisions based on stereotypes?"Insurance sales reps must be gregarious.
4 Niche Job-Search Tips
Looking for a job on the Internet can be daunting. Where do you start? What Web sites are best for your industry?If you're suffering from "job search overwhelm," take heart.
Tips for Terrific Telephone Interviews
Telephone interviews don't just happen; they are the result of action you have taken. For example, when you are networking and the company representative becomes interested in your skills; when a company representative calls you in response to a résumé you have sent; or when you have previously set up the telephone meeting.
Out Recruit The Competition
We hear from our clients that they "hope the candidate takes the job." Hiring a candidate shouldn't be a guessing game.

More Careers & Employment Information:

Related Articles

Where Do I Go From Here?
Making Your Future Work Better For YouIt's the commonest concern people have about their careers. Where am I heading? Is this the right direction for me? How can I tell what will suit me best? Making good career decisions doesn't have to be agony if you clear away a few misconceptions.
College Labor is Available in Ohio
Ohio has always been big on education and that means a bright, energetic and reliable workforce for expanding businesses. A business which wants to expand its number of outlets should be looking strongly at the Ohio market place as there are many very strong and economically viable areas to do business.
Necessary Psychological Skills When Working in the Executive Protection Field
The "hard" skills necessary for an executive protection specialist (EPS) and/or personal protection specialist (PPS) are often perceived as being that of a policeman or (elite) soldier. Though there can be certain similarities i.
Top Ten Guidelines For Working With Executive Recruiters
1. Select the right type of recruitment partnerDetermine whether you would be best served by a retained, contingency, contract or research based partner at a global, national or local level.
Why Human Resources Are The Real Key To Success In This Information Age
The rapid changes that have mainly been brought about by the information age are numerous and irreversible. They have affected our way of life on virtually every front and have left many old companies in ruins while causing other new ones to swiftly emerge and grow to great unprecedented profitability, literally overnight.
What Did You Say?
My table-mates introduced themselves as the reciprocal protocol began. We chatted about what we did, where we did it and what we thought of the conference.
The Inevitable Job Interview Question: "Why Did You Leave (Are Planning To Leave) Your Last Position
This is a question that you can almost count on being asked at your next interview What the interviewer wants to know is, "Why are you available?"The answer you give could set the tone for the rest of the interview. For instance, if you were to indicate that you were bored or burned out at your last job, the interviewer would quickly become concerned about your performance at this company.
How to Answer The Most Difficult Interview Questions
The following 'difficult' questions are common to most tricky or adversarial interviews. In order to convince the interviewer that you are the best person for the job, you must prepare and rehearse your answers meticulously.
7 Tips to Deal With a Bad Performance Review
Q. "I wasn't happy with my last performance review.
Common Résumé Mistakes
Using a general résumé.DON'T DO IT! You cannot successfully use the same résumé to apply to several different jobs.
Employees, Get Used to Working under Surveillance
Let's face it. Monitoring employees' e-mail, tracking their Internet use, logging everything done at keyboards has become the norm in Corporate America.
Make Your Resume Keyword Rich and Scanner Friendly
If you haven't looked for a job recently, there are new tactics that hiring professionals are using that you should be aware of before updating your resume.Employers and recruiters increasingly rely on electronic resumes, resume posting boards and job banks to find job candidates.
Why Do Interviews Die: That Sinking Feeling and How to Prevent it!
Interviews die because a mistake occurred. Sometimes, you've made a mistake; sometimes they die because someone who screened a resume did.
Writing Great Cover Letters
Cover letters are an essential ingredient to your complete résumé package. This is the best opportunity for you to demonstrate your personal character, knowledge of the company and your business writing skills.
9 Tips on Creating a Professional Emailed Job Application
With the advent of the Internet, many of us have the opportunity to apply for work through email.However, just because this is the Internet and email is so fast and convenient, that does NOT mean you should give up professionalism and polish!FIRST IMPRESSIONS COUNT.
Make A Lasting Impression With Interview Etiquette
(Des Moines, Iowa - February 2, 2005) Behaving appropriately during every course of an interview is just one way to increase your success with finding a job. Here are some tips to consider before you're seated across from your interviewer.
Stepping Stone Jobs
What we name something matters.It sets a tone that alters our attitude.
Ask the Recruiter
We all have career goals, big or small. Here are some questions I have recieved over the last month from those actively seeking new employment.
You're Ready for a Career Change - Is Your Resume?
You finally did it. You made the decision to leave a career that makes you dread every Monday morning and pursue one that you feel is your true calling.
Searching for a Federal Job
Many years ago searching for a federal job was a long, complicated and drawn out process. Today, it has been become far less complex and is now just a three-step process.