From Interview to Offer
For most of us there is a long “pregnant pause” from the time we interview to the time we are given a formal offer of employment. Mind you, the pause can be as long a day or a few weeks, but for most of us whatever the timeframe it seems toooooooooo long.
That being said, how do you convert an interview into an offer?
First, you have to decide whether you want the job. How do you determine whether you want the job? You must interview the interviewer. You must know what you are looking for from your next job opportunity. Otherwise, you may accept a job and wonder why you are there.
Second, if you know this is the job you want, then ask the question in the interview - “When will you make a decision?” or “What are the next steps after this round of interviews?” Both questions will give the interviewer the opportunity to tell you what they are thinking. Some interviewers are more transparent than others. Either way, listen to what is being said.
If the interviewer tells you, “I will be making a decision in the next few weeks.” Follow that up with another question - “When should I expect to hear from you?” This will again give the interviewer an opportunity to telegraph his/her feelings about you and your status.
Third, it is critical that you communicate to the interviewer why you are the best person for the job. It’s not so important that you use the words, “I am the best candidate for the job,” as much as you must communicate it. You communicate it by the answers you give to the questions, by the words you choose to use, by your knowledge of the organization and your ability to communicate your past experiences that will determine your ability to be successful in the new position.
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POSTED IN: Post Interview, The Interview
5 opinions for From Interview to Offer
adam
Jun 14, 2008 at 9:19 am
I just passed my second interview with the company. The interview went very well. I think I might get the job. How do I negotiate the offer, if and when it comes? The advertised salary range was 48k-60k.
1. How do I justify asking for the 60k?
2. If I can’t convince them to offer me 60k, I am willing to work for less and ask for bonuses, but how do I negotiate a bonus plan?
I don’t need medical/dental benefits because I have this through my wife’s plan at her job.
Darlene McDaniel
Jun 14, 2008 at 2:46 pm
Hey Adam, Sounds like things are going well for you. 60K is not something you have to justify. Either you are highly qualified for the job thereby making it a no brainer for them or you are not. The best way to negotiate the salary in such a wide salary range is to shoot for the median of the range. Ask for $53K-55K. You are more likely to get that. If you ask for $60K, you have no where to go. If they ask you how much you want to make give them a range.
You don’t want to ask for 60K and then take less. They won’t hire you if you ask for 60K and then say you are willing to work for less. Either you are worth 60K and you willing to walk away if they won’t offer it, or your desperate and employers don’t want to hire you if you are desperate. Give them a range within their range and go from there. Let me know how it goes.
adam
Jun 14, 2008 at 10:00 pm
Ever since your help with my resume and cover letter and other advice on job hunting and interviews, I have been receiving a better responses and also many solicitors from the job board. I have been sticking to my guns and not accepting interviews for jobs that are not exactly what I am looking for.
This interviewer that I spoke about earlier was very good. He would ask a lot of questions and then try to poke holes in my responses to test my confidence, experience, and knowledge. He would even criticize me in an attempt to see my reaction. He wanted me to sell myself to him. He constantly wanted me to convince him why I should be hired. I enjoyed his style and methods of interview. This is why I asked the above question in my last comment. I would expect this type of interviewer to ask me to convince him why I thought I would be worth “x” amount of dollars. He is not like anyone I have interviewed with before, but it was refreshing and pleasurable and at the same time challenging. I’ll let you know the outcome next week.
adam
Jun 26, 2008 at 1:13 am
Dear Darlene,
Thank you so much for all your help. This site has made a difference for me. I finally landed the job I wanted and the pay is great too. I would encourage people at this site to read all they can and more importantly, add comments. The comments are comforting to know that others have similar problems and their stories and your responses give us a lot to learn from. Thank you again. This site was great idea and I wish you the best of luck with it.
Darlene McDaniel
Jun 26, 2008 at 1:42 am
Hi Adam,
Congratulations!!!!! I am very excited that you got an offer and the money too!! Thanks for coming back and sharing your success story. Feel free to stop by any time and tell all your friends about Interview Chatter!! Have fun with your new job!
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