ARE YOU A GOOD LISTENER?
If you are looking for a new job opportunity and actively interviewing, how well do you listen to the interviewers you are meeting with? This is an important question. Think about when you are buying a car, or buying an appliance, or buying anything that has a big price tag. Are you more comfortable working with a sales person that listens to what you actually want, or a sales person that doesn’t let you get a word in and continues to ram a product down your throat that you really don’t want or need? When you are interviewing for a job, you are trying to sell yourself. You are that salesman and you do come with a big price tag. You could be asking this person to spend a $1 million on you if you are a $100k earner and are looking for a ten year position. Even if you are interviewing for a $50k / year job, that is still a $100k they will spend on you if you work there for two years. That’s a lot of money. If you try to talk your way into the job without listening to what the interviewers’ needs and problems are first, you’re that used car sales person and will quickly put yourself in the “pass” category.
Most managers and company leaders like to talk about their company or their department. Listen to them. Pay attention. Look them in the eye. Ask good questions that show you are genuinely interested. By asking good questions, you obtain more information to effectively sell yourself. Stick to what is important to them, not you.
Selling yourself is easy if you know how you can solve their problem. If you can solve their problem, you will not only get the job, you will be able to get the money you want and probably a lot more.
Listen first and then communicate back how you can help.
