Page 144 - How To Sell Yourself

Selling Yourself in the Job Interview 143
Don’t let any questions, comments, ramblings, or war stories distract you from making your points. Even if the interviewer asks the wrong questions, you can give the right answers.
I have to stress this point because most interviewers are not good at interviewing. You won’t always be given the opportunity to tell your story as you’d planned, so you may have to create that opportunity. This isn’t usually maliciousness on the interviewer’s part, but rather ineptness.
My advice is to never leave an interview without having made your best case—unless, of course, you’ve lost all interest in the job that’s available.
Using all the tact, warmth, and subtlety you can muster, you have to take control of the interview, always allowing the interviewer to continue to feel in control. You must keep returning to what you can do, how well you can do it, and how that might apply to the interviewer’s needs. Don’t linger over a general conversation. Keep the spotlight focused on the subject of the interview: you.
But don’t forget to be a good, attentive listener.
The way the game is played
There are two kinds of interviews: the general interview and the specific job interview.
The general interview is aimed at establishing and developing leads. You want someone of some consequence to know that you’re available and have something to offer. It may turn out that this contact does become interested in hiring you, which would be an ultimate scenario. Otherwise, your attitude is “I’m not expecting you to offer me a job. Rather, I’d like to explore with you where someone with my background and skills might be useful to some- one in your field or someone you know who might be interested.”
This immediately lowers the interviewer’s resistance. He’s off the hook and is only being asked for advice and possible leads. He doesn’t have to face the problem of turning down an- other nice person and is flattered into being in a position we all love, that of the expert. It also opens the door to his hearing a straightforward presentation of your skills and experience. How can he make a suggestion to you or advise someone with your background without learning what that background is?