How to succeed in your career


Job Interview or Free Consulting?

Job interviews often require you to show your(3) Are you being asked to disclose
skills by demonstrating how you would solve ainformation about specific programs and
specific problem. Very reasonable... but whatprocesses from your current career or
if you suspect you are being asked to addressbusiness?
a situation that vexes your prospective
employer. Your best efforts will help yourI would view these requests as a danger
employer  while  you  gain  no  reward.signal. Your manager may be testing your
loyalty and ethics. If not, you have to ask
When this happens, you may find yourselfabout this prospective employer's value
wondering if you've been invited because thesystem..
interviewer wants to pick your brain. You
sense they want your expertise without paying(4) Are you asked to prepare a written
for  it.report?
Professional consultants run into thisBe sure to write your name and identifying
challenge all the time. That's why so manyinformation  on  every  page.
independent professionals charge for a
diagnosis and preliminary review of yourFrankly, I would take a risk and ask
business  challenge.directly, "If you implement my
recommendations, what will my compensation
When interviewing, you may feel morelook like?" You will learn a lot about the
constrained, especially if you need or reallycompany from the response you get to your
want the job. Here are some suggestions - butquestion.
it is always a judgment call. You are on the
scene.(5) Are you asked for on-the-spot
recommendations to a specific, complex
(1) Are your interviewer's requests commonchallenge?
within  your  industry?
This technique may be legitimate. Some
If not, recognize a red flag. For example, ainterviewers want to see how you approach a
senior manager normally would not be askedproblem, such as the kinds of questions you
for a writing sample. You have to decide ifask. Your interviewer may want to assess how
the company is coming from left field or ifyou  think  on  your  feet.
the HR people are incompetent or bored. Your
own boss may be unaware or unable to changeBut sometimes they are facing a real problem
the  hiring  process.and they want to get free advice. Consider
saying something like, "We had a similar
(2) Did you initiate the contact through aproblem in my last job. And here is what I
back-door or informational interviewdid..."
approach?
Bottom line: If you haven't undertaken a job
As a mid-life career changer, you might besearch for awhile, you may be surprised by
selling the employer on creating a job, notyour interviews. A senior manager faces
just filling one. Some experts recommendchallenges you never experienced in your
using the opportunity to demonstrate yourearlier career. Interview styles change over
problem-solving skills by presenting yourselftime. And your career may have moved to a new
as  a  consultant,  not  a  candidate.industry with different customs and culture.



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