Even once you are selected, the process hasn't ended. For example, the organization will need to run you through personnel before you’ve hired. Think about those words: "before you're hired." Never lose sight of the fact that you don't have the job until you're in the job. You will be evaluated in everything you do and for every step you take. So continue to be the best you that you can be at all times.
A Successful Close
You learned earlier what takes place during the final stage of the interview. Keep in mind, however, that anything can still happen. Since saying goodbye can have its awkward moments, focus intently on the process. I have seen candidates' apprehension levels suddenly rise out of nowhere, causing some strange things to happen. One individual who found herself juggling briefcase and purse suddenly decided to shake my hand. In her self-imposed frustration, she grasped my thumb instead of my whole hand. To her credit, she recognized that she had lost control momentarily and looked at me with a smile that said, "Oh well." As she set her briefcase on the floor and put her purse over her shoulder, she said, "Now. Can we try that one more time?" We did. And it worked.
Goodbyes can be even more harrowing than that. One hapless soul who had been in a conference room meeting to try to sell some audiovisual equipment finished his closing remarks, shook everyone's hand, turned away from the conference table, and strode purposefully through the door—right into a large closet.
Take charge of everything you do, and you shouldn't have to concern yourself with problems such as those. Instead, you will be able to focus on whatever else you need to know before you leave and to handle the rest of your departure well.
Finding Out Where You Stand
As the interview shifts into the final stage, it will ease your stress to know what might happen next. If the interview has gone well, which it should have, you are ready to find out where you stand. You can accomplish this through any number of trial closes. The close of any sales presentation usually involves more words in the tactile mode than in either of the other two modes. Here are some you might consider:
"It seems we might have a good match here. Would you agree?"
"Would it be to your benefit to have someone with my skills [background, experience] on this project?"How would you feel about being able to take care of this problem [one that has received prime attention in the meeting] to your satisfaction?"
"It would be great to work together, wouldn't it?"The tactile mode is preferred for most closing situations, but if your interviewer is transmitting in an auditory or visual mode, you will have to match that first. Then you can shift back to one of the closes recommended above. Here are some visual examples followed by auditory ones:
"It looks like we have a good match here. Would you agree?"Maintain the Right Attitude
"We really have a clear picture of things as they might look on the job, haven't we?"
"This looks like a real opportunity for both of us, doesn't it?"
"The whole idea sounds good from almost every perspective, doesn't it?"
"I’m eager to discuss the next step, aren't you?"
You might wonder whether some of these sound a bit pushy. If you feel that way about particular ones, you are probably right in not using them yourself. Instead, develop your own, ones you can feel comfortable using. Don't let a momentary discomfiture interfere with your purpose, however. You are there to help both you and the employer find out if you make a good match. If things went even reasonably well, there is nothing wrong with finding out as much of the answer as you can.
The key to success here rests with the attitude you convey. If you sound pushy or act pushy, you are more likely to be perceived that way.
If you remain courteous and ask in a professional way, that is how you will be seen. Before you get too far into your closing, be sure to let the interviewer know that you appreciate the time you have been given to explore this opportunity. You should also briefly discuss any "mechanical" details you need to wrap up, such as how to submit your expenses if the employer has agreed to underwrite your visit.
Planting the Seeds for Follow-up
Leave open the opportunity to call the interviewer sometime in the near future. Your purpose will be to keep track of your status. What you say now should go something like this: "Tm sure we can feel free to contact one another on anything else that might occur to us. Is that okay with you?" That's all you need to say in order to retain the opportunity to check back in a few days or so.
As you leave, there may be more need for small talk, say, if the interviewer or the secretary walks you to an elevator or lobby. It would be a mistake to loop back into any of your business discussion, because that could leave you with an awkward "Well anyway, thanks," closure. If the interviewer reverts to a point made in the interview, try to help keep it confined. You will need a response that shuts down the possibility of further discussion without making you sound abrupt. For that, you might consider saying something like "Well, that is certainly something to consider." Then swing right back into your departure small talk.
Before you go, be sure to thank the secretary by name for helping to make the appointment possible. He or she may have handled the arrangements for you, set up the interview, helped you with your coat, brought you coffee, kept potential intruders away, and more. Most important, the secretary is your key to further access to the interviewer. One more time, after everything else has been said and just before you leave, look at the people who say goodbye to you and say, "I appreciate your time."
