Job interviews are an opportunity to tell an employer all about yourself, your successes, your skills, your goals, and your desire to work for their company, right?
Kind of…
The best interviewees do share this information, but they do so while also aiming to solve the hiring company’s key problems. Aside from just asking questions to the interviewer, there is a key skill that will put you in the correct frame of mind for a successful interview: approach the interview like a doctor would approach a patient.
WHAT IS THE PAIN, AND HOW CAN I MAKE IT GO AWAY?
To approach a job interview like a doctor, consider the hiring company a patient with a need and yourself the doctor. How can you find where the company’s pain is?
In other words, ask yourself, “Where or what is the pain, and how can I make it go away?”
To find out where the company’s pain is, ask questions like the following:
- When was the last time your company faced a setback?
- What recurring obstacle does the department deal with most often?
- What is this department’s greatest strength, and greatest opportunity for improvement?
- What areas would this department and this company like to develop further?
Based on the interviewer’s answers, you can craft helpful points about your experience to show how you can solve the company’s pain, like a doctor prescribing solutions for a patient.
Even better, you can share a story of a similar pain point in your previous job experience and reveal how your specific skills lead to a positive outcome.
Additionally, you can reference these pain points in your follow-up letter to drive the point home. For example, you could say something like, “With my diverse management experience, I’m certain I can help with the sales department’s ongoing need to more quickly and effectively onboard new sales representatives.”
WHY THIS APPROACH WORKS
Great employers aren’t just hiring to fill a desk. They want someone who will actually help improve their company. Much like a doctor working with a patient to determine where they’re experiencing trouble, you can determine exactly how you can help their overall business health. By demonstrating that your skills can be of value to solving an existing problem, you show that you’re an invaluable asset.
Plenty of interviewees won’t be asking the questions needed to learn about an employer’s real needs. Approaching an interview like a doctor makes you stand out and increases your chances of being hired.
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