By Michael Neece, CEO Interview Mastery
Interviews are not Selling Events
Common interviewing advice recommends you sell yourself during a job interview. Interviews
are often called selling events, but this is not true. Job interviews are just like playing darts
blindfolded.
Playing Darts Blindfolded
Interviews are exactly like playing darts. The target is the mental criteria each interviewer is
measuring you against. Each dart represents a dimension of your many talents. You have many
“darts of talent” you could throw at the target, but you can only throw three of them. To win this
interviewing dart game you have to locate the target and decide which three “talent darts” you
will throw. Remember also that each interviewer has a different target that you must locate.
You have one additional challenge. You’re blindfolded and cannot see the target. To win the job
interview dart game you must ask questions to illuminate the target. Asking the right questions
will help you locate the target and tell you which three “talent-darts” to present to your
interviewer.
Find the Target & Select Your Darts
An effective opening question will provide you with the critical information you need to locate
each interviewer’s target.
– “What are the key skills you feel are required for success in this position?”
– “What parts of my background are you most interested in learning about?”
– “What did you see in my resume that created your interest in my background?”
Asking one of these “opening questions” at the start of each interview will help you locate the
interviewer’s target or mental criteria they are using to evaluate you. I’ve asked an opening
question every time I’ve been interviewed. Each time the interviewer answered clearly and I
immediately knew how to handle that particular interview.
An opening question also tells you which three “talent-darts” this interviewer is most interested
in. Hence, with one opening question, you have found the target and know which of your talentdarts
to use with this interviewer.
Did you Hit the Target?
Remember, in this game you are blindfolded. You’ll need to check if you hit the target. After you
present each talent-dart, check to see if you hit the target by asking a follow-up question. The
intention of your follow-up question is to make sure your answer was understood accurately.
– “Did I give you enough detail?”
– “Does that make sense?”
– “Was I clear on that?”
These are a few examples of follow-up questions that will solicit interviewer feedback on the
effectiveness of your answers. Asking follow-up questions will also influence the course of the
interview and help you perform at your best when it matters most in your job search.
Job interviewers are just like playing darts blindfolded. If you do not ask questions you’ll be in
the dark, miss the target and loose the game. Ask opening and follow-up questions to win this
dart game and secure the job offer. You’ll find many additional interviewing tips at
www.interviewmastery.com.