This is particularly true if you are in the early stages of a campaign or have been on a campaign for some time and have not had an offer. Any offer should do wonders for your morale (even if you don't accept it). But an offer or two that you would seriously consider can be not only a boost to your spirits but can provide a very effective way of springing loose other offers that might be satisfactory. On the other hand, don't try to get offers indiscriminately just to record notches on your belt.
One of your more effective tools is asking intelligent questions. Not only can it prompt the interview? to give you direction as to what he or she is interested in, but it also can relieve tension if an interviewer is probing in a sensitive area or an area you would rather defer until later.
Learn the kind of place this company would be to work in. Talking to your prospective boss and other key officials of the company (usually on company premises) offers a good opportunity to judge this. Be particularly observant of how people relate to each other. Unquestionably this is a time when these individuals are on their best behavior. Does the atmosphere seem to be tense - or sloppy - or friendly and businesslike? If the interviewer - say it's George Smith - would be your boss, evaluate him. Is he the kind of person you could be happy working for? Identify the three to five key traits that you see in him. You will want to compare these traits later with people with similar traits you have worked closely with. Don't expect adverse traits to improve. They'll undoubtedly get worse. Make sure your evaluation of the interview is based on your observations, not just what he says. George Smith may describe himself as a "big-picture man," but your observations show him really to be a stickler for details.
Keep to your interview plan as much as possible.
Don't hesitate to take notes on your interview plan into the interview. Referring to these notes occasionally will indicate that you've given careful consideration to what you want to get out of the interview and what you want to get across. As long as you don't use them as a crutch, they will convey that you are a careful and thorough person. And don't be afraid to record notes on key aspects of the discussion as it proceeds.
A job interview is like an athletic contest in which you are a winner or a loser - either you've made a favorable enough impression to get an offer or the next interview, or you haven't. Some job hunters give up the struggle too early. Good salespeople are successful because they know how to make that second effort. Part of their success stems from their positive frame of mind, a determination not to be defeated, and their skills at turning a faltering interview around. Work on developing this. When an interview has been unsuccessful, try to figure out a way or ways to change the course of such a situation in the future.
Probe gently into basic company problems (such as, the industry is currently in a slump; the company, or the specific job, has high turnover; or the company is having major problems with introducing a new product). This gets across to the interviewer that you have some concerns about the company. You have laid the groundwork to be in a stronger negotiating position for improving an offer if it is made to you. This line of questioning will also clarify the situation in the company to help you decide whether or not you'll want to work there if you get an offer.
Make sure interviewers understand your points. If you do not get a favorable reaction when you describe some of your strongest experiences, perhaps you're assuming that they understand the full impact of them, when they really don't. Try extending your description of one or two of your PARs to make them more dramatic, even if you feel it's somewhat overdone. It may bring a more favorable reaction. Here again your PARs will be a big help.
