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Interview technique ... Would you do this?

Discussion in 'Anything goes' started by bigpern23, Jan 4, 2012.

  1. bigpern23

    bigpern23 Well-Known Member

    I came across this video on LinkedIn today about "closing" during a job interview, making that final sales pitch to sell yourself to an employer.

    http://www.linkedin.com/news?viewArticle=&articleID=962044255&gid=1885602&type=member&item=83688309&articleURL=http%3A%2F%2Fcareerconfidential%2Ecom%2Fdont-make-this-critical-interview-mistake-listen-to-this%2F&urlhash=Ymjo&trk=group_most_popular-0-b-shrttl&goback=%2Egdr_*2_*2%2Emyg

    The crux of the short video is that at the end of the interview, rather than just thanking the employer for their time, leaving and hoping for the best, you should say something to effect of, "I can see myself thriving in this role and I'm really excited for that opportunity. Can you see me thriving in this role? Is there any way we can move me on to the next step and set up a meeting for next week?"

    Essentially, it's taking your last moments in front of the employer to make a final push and try to get them to commit to bringing you back for the next round of interviews or whatever.

    I'm curious as to everyone's take on this. Does this sound like something that would work? Is it bold and the act of a motivated go-getter, or is it pushy? I could see an employer taking it either way.
     
  2. jr/shotglass

    jr/shotglass Well-Known Member

    If I'm presented with an interview closing like that, my first thought will be that this person will always be trying to push his/her agenda on me.
     
  3. Stitch

    Stitch Active Member

    It seems pushy. There is nothing wrong with showing confidence, but an interviewee needs to realize an employer usually interviews several candidates. When all of them use the technique mentioned, how effective can it be?
     
  4. Lieslntx

    Lieslntx Active Member

    I think the first sentence is fine and it should stop there. The last two? Not so much.
     
  5. cranberry

    cranberry Well-Known Member

    Exactly. The rest would probably hurt his/her chances with me.
     
  6. bigpern23

    bigpern23 Well-Known Member

    I think the argument that she makes is that most candidates would NOT do that. She presents it as bold, something that, frankly, takes some balls and she seems to believe it will set you apart from the other candidates.

    The way she says it strikes me as overly pushy, almost like car or insurance salesman saying, "Let's go draw up the paperwork" when you haven't agreed to a deal. But I think I like the concept, if not the execution.
     
  7. Bodie_Broadus

    Bodie_Broadus Active Member

    I would never be that pushy.

    I am hoping that I never have to interview for another job ever again. Nothing sucks the life out of me more than looking for work.
     
  8. Iron_chet

    Iron_chet Well-Known Member

    I am not sure how much this would work. Most interviewing seems to be done by an HR person and a hiring manager, except for for real front line positions I don't think single interviewing happens very much (at least corporately).

    As there is usually a discussion post interview on whether to advance a person I don't see how this works. Sure it is a differentiator but if you can't make an impact prior to this gimmick I am not sure it would help.
     
  9. BTExpress

    BTExpress Well-Known Member

    How many jobs have a "next round" of interviews where "another meeting" could take place?

    You either get the call with a job offer . . . or you don't.
     
  10. The Big Ragu

    The Big Ragu Moderator Staff Member

    EDIT: I just watched her video. I misunderstood the way the first post represented it. I should have watched the video first. What she suggested was asking for the "next step." Of course you do that. I think some of her "closing lines" were a bit pushy, but there is always a way to ask with tact, how things went, and what comes next.

    The trick is to not be pushy, and to treat it like any person-to-person interaction, in which you have to read the situation. As long as you don't behave in a way that the interviewer might find inappropriate, of course you are selling yourself in a job interview, and it is perfectly reasonable to say how excited you are about the job after talking to them, and to ask if you are a serious candidate, or to ask what comes next and when.
     
  11. bigpern23

    bigpern23 Well-Known Member

    I couldn't disagree with this more. The majority of jobs I've gotten had more than one interview. When I was in a position to hire, I often, though not always, had more than one round.

    At one position I'm seeking right now, I interviewed with one person whose job it was to weed out candidates and bring a list of three or four top candidates to the company president so he doesn't waste his time interviewing people who won't be a good fit.

    I'd say it's fairly common.

    I think the bolded part is spot on. I don't think I'd ever push the way she did in the video, but I think making a closing pitch beyond, "Thanks for your time," is a good idea.

    Part of it depends on what kind of position you're applying for as well. If you're interviewing to be an investigative reporter, maybe being pushy isn't such a bad thing. If you're interviewing for the copy desk, it can definitely be a negative.

    As I noted earlier, the way she phrases it sounds almost like a used car salesman using high-pressure tactics. Maybe that works on one person in 50, and that might be enough for someone who only needs to sell a few expensive cars per month, but when it comes to job interviews, I think you'd like a much higher success rate than that.
     
  12. The Big Ragu

    The Big Ragu Moderator Staff Member

    Pern, Cept, I took down that post and replaced it with my edited post. I didn't bother to watch the interview before responding, and stupidly assumed someone was advising you to sit here at the end of an interview and ask, "So when do I start?"

    I do believe what you bolded, but my replacement post better reflects what I thought of the video.
     
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