IMPACT:  Competencies  SM 

Getting an interview is a big deal.  You have worked tirelessly on a resume, customized cover letters, and who-knows-what-else to get this precious time-bound opportunity.  You want to make every minute count.  Hopefully, you have had a productive discussion about your competencies and your experiences.  Maybe you have even been able to "brag" a bit - something we do not really get to do with permission in the course of day-to-day living.

It is ten minutes before the hour and the interviewer turns the mic over to you:  "Do you have any questions?"  A polished interviewer may more likely ask:  "What questions do you have?"

Now is your chance to turn the tables a bit, but only with very careful realization that you are still being assessed as a candidate.  Interviewees tend to underestimate the importance of this moment.  In my recruiting days, we as interview teams convened at the end of an interview day and compared notes on our respective candidates.  I came to realize and appreciate how much assessment is ultimately weighted upon the quality of the questions candidates asked when given the opportunity.

IMPACT questions accomplish several things; they:

• Demonstrate an even higher level of preparation on your part.
  
• Give you an opportunity to learn more about an organization and what they offer by way of the things that are important to you in greater detail.
  
• Afford yet another opportunity for you to emphasize your passions, ambitions, and your competencies.
  
• Leave the interviewer with a strong impression of you and your interest in the opportunity.Formulate and rehearse your unique IMPACT questions in advance.  Link them to your unique IMPACT competencies - the ones you want interviewers to remember when they go back to their offices and stacks of other resumes.
  

Kiss of death:  "I don't have any questions."

Pulse; signs of life:  "Do you have a training program?"

Better, but still no cigar:  "I was looking at your website and noticed your professional development program.  Can you tell me more about it?"

IMPACT:  "In reviewing your professional development strategy, I was particularly struck by your commitment to the development of negotiation skills.  As you know, I am passionate about my business development competencies.  Can you tell me more about the program and how I might be able to leverage it in even further developing my capabilities in this area?"