Interview Closing Technique for Job Seekers

Interviews are similar to sales presentations. When someone is selling a product or service they make sure they gather all of the crucial information they need to back up the benefits of what they are selling and then try to close the sale.

Answering objections is critical in the sales process and it’s just as critical for a job seeker to answer any objections a hiring manager or recruiter may have. Sometimes the best selling points a job seeker can make are based on objections by the decision maker, especially if the job seeker is thoroughly prepared.

During the interview, job seekers need to market themselves on what they can do now, not what they did in the past. When mentioning past positions, tell how that experience led up to your current expertise and accomplishments.

So it’s that time in the interview when things end and job seekers have no idea what the hiring manager is thinking. Think about how many times we walk out of an interview and wish we had the opportunity to cover any objections they have about hiring us. It’s frustrating and many job seekers lose out on opportunities because objections were not covered.

I sat it on a call for job seekers and one topic was on becoming a closer on an interview. The guidance and suggestion offered was that at the end of the interview, ask: “Based on today’s interview, what would be your concerns about hiring me?”

I think that’s a fantastic question because IF they are honest with you, a job seeker now has the opportunity to cover those objections right in their office. I was curious how others felt about asking that question in an interview so I posted the question to Tory Johnson’s facebook wall and her response was “yes, love it — and recommend it…” Tory Johnson is the CEO of Women For Hire, founder of Spark & Hustle, workplace contributor on ABC’s “Good Morning America,” a New York Times bestselling author and host of “Job Club” on ABC News Now.

Learn to become a closer on your interviews and prevent your competition from getting the offer you deserve!