It's Really a Sales Call: Your Interview for a Job

 " ... For [the interview] a new job? In general I would do 60-80 hours of drafting out stories and practicing reciting them in engaging ways. After that I would probably do 2-4 hours of company specific research for a non-recruiter interview." - Fishbowl Consulting, May 27, 2024

Those  who haven't been through the wringer in a recent job search and getting no offers might push back on all this amount of input. Their chief argument would be that with all that preparation you are going to come across as over-scripted - and stiff. 

But note that the advice is to role play your approaches so that, yesyesyes, you aim to engage. A major part of what you invest in is the soft stuff. At the top of the list is: appearing relaxed, mirroring the tone/pacing/word choice of what those with the power are using, being looped in when responding to their request for your questions and keeping them interested in you in a sustained way. 

What I recommend to clients is for them to think about the job interview as a sales call. They must be in control of it without seeming to be in control. Mirroring (without overdoing it) is big. Their objective is concrete: To get the offer. In sales. of course, it is to close on the deal. The process is not about "having them get to know you." 

In most cases you have only one shot in communications. Jane Genova is a communications coach and content-creator. Complimentary consultation (please text 203-468-8579 or email janegenova374@gmail.com)

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