chat
expand_more

Chat with our Pricing Wizard

clear

Career Advice for Job Seekers

A Job Interview Secret Worth “Sharing”?

William Frierson AvatarWilliam Frierson
May 7, 2014


Jimmy Sweeney

Jimmy Sweeney, President of CareerJimmy

Roger walked out of the interview room, his palms still moist, and his heart rate finally settling down. “I’m pretty sure I did okay. Maybe not perfect, but I was really nervous going in,” he told his friend Bob who’d come along for support.

Now it was the hiring manager’s move—deciding whether or not to invite Roger back for a second interview.

This is the hard part for any job candidate. But you don’t have to sit back and twiddle your thumbs or pig out on donuts while you wait for a response.

Here is a secret that you can apply, one that Roger used too.

 

Give the Interviewer a GIFT!

Not a Starbucks card or a movie pass or a subscription to a magazine. In fact, it’s really important not to give anything that might be considered a bribe. However, you can give something of value that will be seen as a kind gesture. Maybe you noticed a golf trophy on the employer’s desk, or a Bonsai tree on her bookshelf, or a photo of the interviewer’s family fishing.

What clues can you pick up from such a discovery that will help you select something small but memorable, a gift that says, “Thank you for your time today”? Consider a gift of information—an article or link on the Internet about a topic related to the hobby or interest you noticed.

For example, Mindy is a ‘foodie’ but she likes lovely cuisine that is both beautiful to look at and delicious to eat. She and her interviewer, a woman named Lisa, talked a bit about cooking and cookbooks before they got down to the business of the job Mindy was applying for. After they concluded their meeting, Mindy attached a digital cookbook from her collection to her thank you email. What a nice way to say, in effect, I paid attention to our mutual interest in good food.

 

Thank You AND . . .

 

Of course a thank you gift does not guarantee a job—or even a second interview, but it is worth the time and effort regardless of the outcome. Why? Because landing a job is not the only goal. Building good human relations and sewing seeds of kindness and connection are important too—sometimes even more important than the ‘thank you’ itself. Such a gesture will benefit you one way or another.

  1. It demonstrates your interest and excitement about the job in question.
  2. It displays your willingness to go beyond the interview itself.
  3. It draws attention to you as a thoughtful person.
  4. It delivers a gift that can be shared with others, thereby multiplying its effect.

Also such gifts bring your name back to the receiver and help you to keep in touch with your interviewer until the job is filled.

© Written By Jimmy Sweeney
President of CareerJimmy and Author of the new,
Job Interview “Secret”

Jimmy Sweeney is the president of CareerJimmy and author of the brand new “Secret Career Document” job landing system. Jimmy is also the author of several career related books and writes a monthly article titled, “Job Search Secrets.”

On your very next job interview, the moment you walk in the door, simply hand your customized “Secret Career Document” to the person conducting the interview and let the magic begin… Job Interview “Secret”

New Job Postings

Advanced Search

Related Articles

No Related Posts.
View More Articles