Stage 3: RespondingThe responding stageof the interview occurs when you, as a can-
didate, begin fielding questions that are specifically intended to deter-
mine the extent to which your qualifications and personal qualities
match up with what the hiring organization is looking for. Unlike the
general questions you are asked during the engaging stage of the in-
terview, these interview questions are sharper, more specific, and more
intense.
Typically, the interviewer and/or the hiring organization has de-
veloped a list of questions, the answers to which, they believe, will give
a very strong indication as to whether or not a candidate is right for the
job. These are the questions you will be asked to respond to during the
responding stage of the interview.
If the engaging stage of the interview is characterized from the in-
terviewer’s perspective as “getting to know each other,”the responding
stage is the “let’s see if you’ve got what it takes”phase of the interview.
Although not all interviewers do so, an obvious tip-off that you
have entered the responding stage is if the interviewer suddenly starts
reading questions from notes and begins taking more careful notes
when you respond.
Whether or not the interviewer intensifies his or her note taking,
when you have entered the responding stage you are likely to feel that
the responses you are giving are being very carefully scrutinized. You
are likely to feel a greater amount of stress during this stage.
The responding stage can be pretty intense, as it is meant to be the
“moment of truth.”But it is also a phase of the interview when your Ca-
reer Portfolio can be particularly helpful, if used skillfully. Here are
some things to think about:Look for clues about which P.E.A.K.S. most interest the interviewer.
You should be able to tell from the kinds of questions you are asked and
the responses you get which P.E.A.K.S. the interviewer seems to feel
are most important.
Getting a better read on the interviewer’s mind-set will enable you
to zero in on the particular P.E.A.K.S. you should be focusing on as the
interview progresses. And, if you are invited back for further inter-
views, knowing more about the P.E.A.K.S. that this organization par-
ticularly values will enable you to further refine the targeting of your
portfolio for these interviews.
Keep in mind your desirable P.E.A.K.S. when responding to ques-
tions. Many of the “standard”interview questions that are asked dur-
ing the responding stage of a job interview are really attempts to learn
more about a candidate’s P.E.A.K.S. As you respond to these questions,
try to refer to specific P.E.A.K.S. you have that the interviewer is like-
ly to find desirable. As you work your key P.E.A.K.S. into your respons-
es, you will be reminded of items in your Can-Do Portfolio that you
might want to show.
Show your portfolio very selectively.You should absolutely avoid
whipping out your portfolio every time you speak. However, if a ques-
tion comes up about your accomplishments or something else for which88 Part I: Building, Using, and Maintaining Your Career Portfolio