Page 171 - 301 Best Questions to Ask on Your Interview, Second Edition

THE QUESTION LIFE CYCLE

If the answer is affirmative, do your best to follow up and
then test again. Repeat as often as necessary until it’s point-
less to continue. Some objections, unfortunately, cannot
be redirected and maybe it’s not in your interests that they
be. It’s useless to talk your way into a job for which you are
unqualified.
S: Support your point with a story. If the process goes well,
you’re now ready to drive your point home with a story.
Nothing is as “sticky” as a good story. Make the story as spe-
cific as possible. The content is almost less important than
your attitude, tone of voice, and body language. Your goal
is to make the interviewer recall you as someone who confi-
dently handled a potentially difficult situation gracefully.

? Memorably Good Question
#13

How do I compare to other candidates you are considering?
A direct way to get the interviewer to disclose where your
qualifications, relative to the other candidates, may be weak.
This is your opportunity to address the perceived weakness,
either by acknowledging it and emphasizing a countervailing
strength, or by taking a page from Microsoft (“That’s not a bug;
it’s a feature!”) and suggesting that the weakness may actually
be a strength.

Ruth Shapiro
Vice President and Founding Member
Career Counselors Consortium
Ruth Shapiro Associates
New York, NY

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