If you are interviewing, DO NOT finish any interview without running through your CLOSING CHECKLIST.

What is a closing checklist?

It is a systematic process that you should follow at the end of every interview that consists of 3 parts:

1) YOUR questions.

The interviewer has had the opportunity to ask their questions already. Make sure you have the opportunity to ask yours.

Remember, the interview process is a two-way street. They're not just interviewing you-- you're also interviewing them.

Have a written or mental list of questions and make sure they are high value.

For example, don't use generic throwaway questions that can be answered with an equally generic response. For example:

Bad question: What is the company culture like here?

Good question: As part of my research, I've spoken to a few people at your company. How do you hope your employees describe working here? (Note: See if their answer is consistent with what your contacts have said.)

Another tip for questions: Always ask questions that would give you an advantage on future interviews. For example:

"What does the ideal candidate look like for this role?"

This will help you determine what factors are most important to the company in making their decision and help you tailor your answers to fit what they're looking for.

2) Next steps.

Too often, candidates leave an interview without having any idea what the next steps look like. Are there two more interviews? Six more? How long will the entire process take?

Don't be afraid to ask clarifying questions.

"Thank you so much for this interview opportunity today. May I know what the next steps look like and a tentative timeline for a hiring decision?"

3) Contact info.

Don't end up in the dark.

Sometimes companies move very slowly and you're stuck wondering what the status is after not hearing from anyone for two weeks.

Before the interview concludes, get contact info.

"Thank you again for this opportunity. May I have your email address and/or phone number to follow up with after our interview? If you are not the appropriate person to reach out to, who can I follow up with if I have questions after today?"

Don't end the interview until you have a contact that you know will respond if you ask for an update.

Don't get ghosted!

The job seekers I work with typically need 25-50% less interviews to secure an offer.

Are you landing interviews but not getting the offer?

Maybe you’re tired of the same response over and over: We went with a candidate with more experience in _____.”

My Ace the Interview program is fully interactive and includes FIVE one-on-one sessions with me (four-and-a-half hours) to polish your interview performance in a way that makes you the most attractive candidate.

Wondering if it will help you? Let’s talk.