Let me paint the scene for you.

Youre been scheduled for a phone interview and reviewed the job description. Youve done whatever your mental gymnastics are to get ready for the conversation.

The phone rings and the telephone interview is about to begin.

Or

Youve been escorted into the conference room for the interview. Each of you has sat down.

In each case, do you wait for them to speak first?

I hope you dont.

Whether its a phone interview or an in-person meeting, Im going to offer the single best way to start the interview.

Lets go to the phone interview for a moment. This is how the conversation will flow:

Is this, Jack James.

Yes, it is.

Hi! My name is Maria Monteiro with XYZ Corporation and Im calling to speak with you about your background.

Are you ready for the question?

Hi, Maria, thanks for calling. Tell me about the position youre trying to fill and what I might do to help you?

Or imagine the same scene in-person where just as you each sit down, you ask the same question.

What you will do is be able to listen to how they currently are defining the position and what the challenges are that they are facing which may be far different than at the time they developed the job description. It also gives you the opportunity to speak to the elements of your experience that fit the job description, instead of passively playing question and answer ju-jitsu.

Dont you think thats a better way to start the interview?

Jeff Altman, The Big Game Hunter, is Managing Director with Concepts in Staffing, a New York search firm, He has successfully assisted many corporations identify management leaders and staff in technology, accounting, finance, sales, marketing and other disciplines since 1971. He is a certified leader of the ManKind Project, a not for profit organization that assists men with life issues, and a practicing psychotherapist.

Jeff Altman
http://www.jeffaltman.com