Why not me? Why not here? And why not now? These are the three questions to ask and answer at every interview.
Why not me?
Why is this question so important? Because it centers you in your own value. Don’t forget: you are not asking for a job. You are offering your talent.
Every time you show up for an interview, get yourself into this mindset. Because you are an equal negotiation partner at every table you sit down to. Which is counter-intuitive, isn’t it? We have somehow gotten ourselves into the mindset that we come to interviews as hungry beggars. When in fact, even if you feel under-qualified for the position, you always have something of value to offer.
So focus on your own value. What do I bring to the table? Why not hire me for this position and benefit from what I bring?
Why not here?
This is where you show how much you value the person on the other side of the negotiating table. Do your homework!
When you ask, “Why not here?” what you actually saying is that you have studied the organization and have found a match of some kind with them. You are saying in essence: “We have something in common at this place. Let’s talk about how we can help each other to succeed in this unique place of business.”
So with this question, focus on the shared values that you and your negotiating partner bring to the table.
Why not now?
This is the question of urgency. You probably already know that most individuals and most businesses fail due to a lack of appropriate urgency. Notice I say appropriate urgency. Far too often we have all experienced an inappropriate sense of urgency brought on by managers who give you totally unrealistic deadlines because they have not done the responsible job of thinking ahead for those they manage.
In this step you rise above the level of management to the level of leadership. It doesn’t matter that the person you are talking to seems to be holding all the cards because they are on the hiring end of the equation. You can always lead a conversation from your side of the table.
So bring an appropriate sense of urgency and say in effect: “Hey. We have a unique opportunity here in this moment to seal the deal and move on to the next step of working together.” Don’t be shy about this. Chance are, your interviewer will appreciate the urgency you bring to the table.
The takeaway:
At every interview, bring the 3 Questions that belong at the negotiating table. Would you like some help preparing for your next interview? Feel free to take the next step!