The New Leader's 100-Day Action Plan: How to Take Charge, Build Your Team, and Get Immediate Results, Second Edition

Chapter 2. Sell Before You Buy: Answer the Only Three Interview Questions

Remember three things during the interview process:

Thing 1:

You cannot turn down a job offer that you have not received.

Thing 2:

There are only three fundamental interview questions—ever.

Thing 3:

There are only three fundamental interview answers—ever.

Thing 1

Before you accept a job, you must first get an offer. Then, and only then, you can decide if you should accept it. Do not do these steps out of order. Your initial focus should be solely on getting the job offer. If you start to imagine or assume you have the job before you have the offer, you have diverted some of your focus away from reality and are wasting your time. Get your head back in the game. First comes the interview, and then comes the offer. It is important that you realize and respect that clear demarcation between the interview process and the offer because once you cross that line (you have received the offer), your approach should change.

Everything you do in the interview process should be designed to get the company to offer you the job. This includes not only your answers to their questions, but also your questions to them. At this stage in the process, your questions are not about helping you decide if you want the job. They are about helping them decide to offer it to you. Secure the offer first. Then, after you've got the offer, figure ...