Here is something that people in business just never think about but it is so very true. Let’s say you are interviewing for a job and there are ten other people waiting to be interviewed as well. The person interviewing you is NOT looking for a reason to hire you? They are looking for a way to eliminate you from consideration. Sounds strange, right? It is the same in our business when we do presentations to be hired.

The person interviewing you is looking for faults and a reason to move on to the next person. They don’t even know that they are doing it because no one ever really thinks about it. Let’s say you are looking to hire a firm to sell or market something. People in the decision process unknowingly look for the firms with the fewest flaws. Many times, the person presenting needs to answer questions before they are asked. To do this you need to think like the person interviewing you and ask yourself, what is most important to him/her and then gear your presentation around those things. When you answer their questions before they ask them, it leaves a very important impression with them and makes you memorable and that is one of the keys to winning the job or the account.

Asking yourself, if I was in their shoes, what would be the most important points to consider? Other than not showing up with food in your teeth, this is probably the most important thing you can do to prepare for an interview. You want to leave the room having made an impression because when they compare notes, it is the things you said and did different that the others that makes you stand out when the decision is made. KT