TRAPS: Believe it or not, this is a killer question because so many candidatesare unprepared for it. If you stammer oradlib you’ve blown it.
BEST ANSWER: By now you can see how critical it is toapply the overall strategy of uncovering the employer’s needs before you answerquestions. If you know the employer’sgreatest needs and desires, this question will give you a big leg up over othercandidates because you will give him better reasons for hiring you than anyoneelse is likely to…reasons tied directly to his needs.
Whether yourinterviewer asks you this question explicitly or not, this is the mostimportant question of your interview because he must answer this questionfavorably in is own mind before you will be hired. So help him out! Walk through each of the position’srequirements as you understand them, and follow each with a reason why you meetthat requirement so well.
Example: “As I understand your needs, you are firstand foremost looking for someone who can manage the sales and marketing of yourbook publishing division. As you’ve saidyou need someone with a strong background in trade book sales. This is where I’ve spent almost all of mycareer, so I’ve chalked up 18 years of experience exactly in this area. I believe that I know the right contacts,methods, principles, and successful management techniques as well as any personcan in our industry.”
“You alsoneed someone who can expand your book distribution channels. In my prior post,my innovative promotional ideas doubled, then tripled, the number of outletsselling our books. I’m confident I can dothe same for you.”
“You needsomeone to give a new shot in the arm to your mail order sales, someone whoknows how to sell in space and direct mail media. Here, too, I believe I have exactly theexperience you need. In the last fiveyears, I’ve increased our mail order book sales from $600,000 to $2,800,000,and now we’re the country’s second leading marketer of scientific and medicalbooks by mail.” Etc., etc., etc.,
Every one ofthese selling “couplets” (his need matched by your qualifications) is a touchdownthat runs up your score. IT is your bestopportunity to outsell your competition.