A candidate today goes to a third interview. He was doing great…until he reached the end of the interview and he says “I’m very interested. Where do we go from here?”
That statement, while valid, can come off to some hiring authorities as weak or passive. A better or more assertive statement would have been, “This is a great opportunity for both of us …what do I need to do to get the job?”
Unfortunately, he was eliminated as a contender for the job. Advice, do not ever leave an interview without asking or presenting assertively, “What do I need to do to get the job”.
Contrast the first candidate with our second candidate, who had been through six corporate interviews with one of our clients. The client was being extra cautious and put him through the ringer. It was one of the most important jobs in the company, traveling internationally, and establishing the company’s presence around the world. So, admittedly, it was understandable that they were being vigilant.
According to the Executive Vice President, it was going to come down to one last interview with the CEO. Before the final interview, I can’t really say that our candidate was ranked one, two or three. The direct hiring authority told me after the interview that he seemed a pretty distant second but . . . he was offered the job.
Here’s why. The candidate revealed to the CEO that he had spent six hours doing an online tutorial concerning the software products the company developed. He presented assertively to the CEO exactly how he would introduce it to the countries he was going to be responsible for.
That sealed the deal.
Being assertive in your presentation and language can seem like a little thing, but it can make a really big difference in letting the hiring authority know “I want the job”.
