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Interviewing: When Being 'Good' Isn't Good Enough

Over the past twenty years I have had the pleasure of providing information, training and coaching that has resulted in hundreds of professional people obtaining job offers that they otherwise would not have received! What those lucky individuals all had in common was the desire to learn to be the best they could be in an interview to get the job offer.

Participating in an interview is like competing in an athletic event. There are usually a number of talented individuals who all want to win. Most serious contenders in sports, whether amateur or professional, do two things—they get coaching on the latest techniques and they practice to improve their performance.

When it comes to preparing for interviews, many people unfortunately fail to see the connection. Let me share an example with you by telling a story. Throughout the story, wherever the word(s) "event" or "competition" appear, mentally substitute the word "interview" or "an interview." Ready?

Calvin Confident and Paul Parachute each submitted an entry to participate in a competition where the prize for coming in first was $300,000* paid out over a 3-year period. It has been several years since either Calvin or Paul was a competitor in this type of event. Calvin is confident that he will make a good showing because, after all, he won the last time he participated in such an event. Also, during the past several years, he has been a judge at similar events. Paul also knows that he could put on a good performance based on his past success in these events. However, it has been several years since either man competed in an event of this magnitude.

As fortune would have it, Ned Network, a friend of both men, knowing about the up-coming competition, recommended a coach with a reputation for consistently producing winners in this event. Calvin Confident smiled patiently at his friend and said, "Thanks for the suggestion, Ned, but I know I'm good at this event. I've always been a winner. I am good enough, I don't need to pay anyone to coach me.

Paul Parachute, on the other hand, thanked Ned Network saying, "Thanks, Ned, I appreciate the lead, I have done well in this event, but I am always open to new techniques or strategies that could improve my performance." (Paul Parachute is known to be aptly named and he himself often says, "The mind is like a parachute, it works best when open.")

The day of the event dawned and both Calvin Confident and Paul Parachute were "psyched" and ready for the competition! By the end of the day, Calvin Confident was exhilarated. He just knew that he had put in a 100% performance. He eagerly awaited the judge's decision. At the same time, Paul Parachute was quietly contemplating the day's events. What Paul knew was that he himself had truly given a 100% performance, but that Calvin had actually given only a 90% performance because Calvin having forgone any coaching and didn't know what he didn't know about the nuances that the judges were looking for in this particular competition, Paul did, and he had practiced his presentation. Paul was awarded the $300,000 first place prize.

Weeks later, Calvin and Paul got together for lunch. As soon as they were seated at a table, Calvin said to Paul, "Congratulations on your new job. I sure thought that I was going to beat you out, though!" Paul quietly asked Cal, "Do you want some feedback?" "Sure, I do," Calvin said, but his face flushed slightly and he averted his eyes for a brief moment. "The difference," said Paul, "was being open to learning new techniques and strategies to stretch beyond just being ‘good.' Frankly, if you had gotten the coaching I did, I believe you would have beaten me."

Why is it that some people will seek out professionals to teach them how to improve their golf game, tennis game, and racquetball skills—all for fun and recreation.—but when it comes to something as critical as securing a new career position and earning a good livelihood, suddenly resist any assistance? It is a mystery!

Career coaches are the personal performance trainers of the new millennium!

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