questions. The interviewer might ask,“Do you have any questions?”or,
“Is there something you would like to tell us about yourself?”This is a
good chance to nudge the interview process toward the opportunity
finding stage.
The odds are that the person who is trying to fill this job has a
problem. Possibly the previous incumbent was fired or left unexpected-
ly. Or, perhaps a new project for which the interviewer has no qualified
staff is looming. This is the time in the interview when you attempt to
explore with the interviewer ways in which you would be particularly
well qualified to solve the interviewer’s problem.
Maybe the position is new and they’re not quite sure how the job
should be performed. Or there could be a sticky political situation in
connection with this job, and the interviewer is afraid that the person
who is hired might behave in a manner that only makes the situation
worse. If you can discover precisely what the problem is, you, as a can-
didate, may have uncovered a big opportunity.
You must take a proactive role here. During the opportunity find-
ing stage you want to zero in on what the critical issues are in the in-
terviewer’s mind, and then make the case that you are the person “to
get the job done.”Your Can-Do Portfolio can help you do this. Here’s
how.Ask about the particular opportunities and challenges associated
with the job. You need to know exactly what the interviewer believes
are the issues and opportunities associated with the job. You may have
been able to pick up a lot of this information during the earlier, engag-
ing and responding stages. If you feel you now have a solid under-
standing of the opportunities and challenges, then you’ll want to verify
that you’ve got it right.
However, if you are still uncertain as to exactly what the opportu-
nities and challenges are in the job, this is a good time to ask questions
about the specific problems that an incumbent in this job must deal
with effectively to be successful.
Paraphrase your understanding of the job’s particular problems
and opportunities.As a way of making sure you understand what the
interviewer perceivesthe issues and problems to be, repeat to the in-
terviewer what you believe you have heard are the job’s particular chal-
lenges.
Make every effort to be polite here. You can begin your statement
with a phrase like,“If I understand correctly, the three big challenges
associated with this job are....”And then ask,“Have I got it right, or
is there something else that is more important?”
Use your portfolio to show how you are the right person for this job.
Rather than just saying something like,“I think I can get these things
done for you,”use your portfolio to give the interviewer tangible evi-
dence that you can perform as desired in this position.
You might say something like,“Based on what you have told me
about this job and what I know about myself, I think I could do a good90 Part I: Building, Using, and Maintaining Your Career Portfolio
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