Chapter 1
The World Actually Does Revolve Around You
Research yourself first and the company second. Results from thousands of recruitment calls and interviews show that people approach the job search backward. Learn how to address your needs to ensure you know the job you want before—not after—the fact. Discover how to conduct research to uncover the most pertinent information related to the potential employer to determine whether the company is right for you.
Chapter 2
Behind the Scenes—An Insider’s View
There are three reasons you actually get the job. Unfortunately, you can only control one of them. Newsflash—your qualifications get you an interview. They have virtually nothing to do with getting you the job. Learn how to influence the three factors that affect job attainment: 1) the candidate’s ability to effectively articulate qualifications and potential contributions (encoding), 2) the interviewer’s ability to accurately interpret the candidate’s qualifications (decoding), and 3) the interviewer’s capacity to remember the candidate (memory). Uncover the biases that contribute to these factors and learn how memory works so you can craft stories the interviewer will remember.
Chapter 3
The Two Types of Interviewing Questions
Interviewers want to know either what you did or what you will do. Every question, however disguised, falls into one of these two categories. Learn how to recognize the question type and respond appropriately to overcome the interviewer’s most common blind spot.
Chapter 4
“Friending” the Interviewer
The fastest way to develop a connection is to shrink the world. The most effective is to share the same passion. Discover techniques to establish a connection with the interviewer from the onset and learn how to identify similar interests to eliminate the detriment of the doubt and realize the benefit of the doubt.
Chapter 5
Storytelling
Say it so they get it. Say it so they remember it. Say it so they want it. The encoding and decoding issues are further exacerbated by the interviewer’s need to tap long-term memory to recall the candidate. Learn to incorporate the six key qualities that make your stories accurate and memorable: 1) keep it short and simple, 2) capture and keep their attention, 3) talk in their lingo, 4) make them believe you, 5) get them to care, and 6) get them to act.
Chapter 6
My “Silver Bullet” Interview
How you say what you say is just as important as what you say. Apply the storytelling principles to any interview question. Learn the fourteen most effective interviewing questions, the rationale behind them, and the most effective responses.
Chapter 7
Profit from Questioning—Sell Twice, Buy Once
In an interview, waste no time doing anything that doesn’t help sell you—not even when asking questions. Learn how to organize your questions to reanswer interviewing questions without uttering a single word. Review the most effective way to structure questions to maximize the benefits of selling yourself and gathering intelligence. Ensure you are getting pinpoint answers and making the best use of your time during the segment of the interview you actually control. Learn over forty great questions to ask the employer.
Chapter 8
Closing Time
Start closing when you walk in the door, and don’t stop closing until you pull the door shut on your way out. Learn the best techniques to close an interview so you leave no doubt in the interviewer’s mind that you are the right candidate for the job. Address any interviewer reservations that might have surfaced due to communication gaps. Review techniques to help reassure the interviewer that it is okay to hire you.
Chapter 9
Decision Time
You have been logical up until this point. Why become emotional now? Ensure you are well-positioned to review an employment offer, maximizing your two greatest assets—self-awareness and intuition—to help you make the right decision. Learn how to handle the sensitive compensation question.
Chapter 10
The Breakup
Prepare for the kitchen sink even if they don’t throw it at you. Review the most effective techniques and communication methods for both verbal and written resignations.
Chapter 11
Wait! Don’t Leave!
Accepting a counteroffer grants you a shelf-life of six to twelve months. If you accept a true counteroffer, you might as well start interviewing again—immediately. Review what actually transpires during the counteroffer stage, including your and the company’s emotional roller coaster, economic impacts, and integrity issues. Recognize the potential aftermath of the renegotiation as it relates to you and them.
Chapter 12
If You Interview Today
Use this short summary guide as a checklist to help navigate you through the interviewing process.