140 How to Sell Yourself
the fact that you are also interviewing your interviewer
about the job and about the company.- You aren’t just looking for a job. If you are, you could be
making a world-class mistake. You’re looking for the right
job. You’re looking for the job that will let you put your
skills and experience to work most fully and productively,
matching them to the needs of the employer. The purpose
of the job interview, and never lose sight of this fact, is to
determine whether those conditions prevail in this job.
Reaffirm your confidence
Once you have put the job interview in its proper perspective,
you gain new confidence. You’re not cocky, insolent, or impolitic;
you are confident. You understand the dynamics of the interview.
You’ve learned how to play a new game, and you can play to win.
Confidence is the key word. Externally, it will allow you to be
friendly, open, interested, straightforward, and a good listener.
Inside, you’re alert, energized, and, on the deepest level, detached
and objective. You’re able to believe from the outset, “If this works
out, that will be fine. If it doesn’t work out, that will be okay, too.
This one may not be the perfect one.”
Confidence helps on every level. You come across as compe-
tent and poised. You’re calm enough to think clearly and ratio-
nally. Your modest self-assurance is pleasant and attractive com-
pared to the insecurity, nervousness, or overeagerness of other
candidates. You really shouldn’t want the job unless it’s right for
you or if the employer doesn’t have the right enthusiasm for add-
ing you to the team.
An expert’s advice
A friend of mine, who’s been a professional job counselor and
whose help on the material for this chapter has been invaluable,
offers the following tip.
If you’re desperate for work, desperate for an income, any
income, then take whatever job you can get that will bring in some
money while the job search goes on. Work as a salesclerk in the
evening. Take an early morning delivery job. Work on a clean-up
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