You establish credibility by avoiding open-ended questions like: "What does your company plan to do in the next five years?" and replacing them with short diagnostic questions. Diagnostic questions are close-ended and designed to elicit specific answers. In the following dialogue, a high-tech job hunter makes use of diagnostic questions:

Job hunter: May I ask you a question? May I ask you a question?

Prospective employer: Sure. What's up? Sure. What's up?

Job hunter: How many net-native applications in the CRM field do you now consider as direct compet.i.tors to your standard desktop product offering? How many net-native applications in the CRM field do you now consider as direct compet.i.tors to your standard desktop product offering?

Prospective employer: Uum. Uum. . . . . . . At this time, there are probably three net-native applications that offer functionality similar to desktop software. At this time, there are probably three net-native applications that offer functionality similar to desktop software.... And that's aside from all of the other net-native applications that keep popping up every couple of weeks. And that's aside from all of the other net-native applications that keep popping up every couple of weeks.... Some of them being open source too. Some of them being open source too.

Job hunter: How many months would it take to move your current application to more of a net-native model? How many months would it take to move your current application to more of a net-native model?

Prospective employer: Well, we did evaluate the ASP model several years ago and at the time, we felt it would probably take about 12 to 18 months to reengineer our software. Well, we did evaluate the ASP model several years ago and at the time, we felt it would probably take about 12 to 18 months to reengineer our software.

Job hunter: At what intervals are new upgrades being offered by your net-native compet.i.tors? At what intervals are new upgrades being offered by your net-native compet.i.tors?

Prospective employer: On average, perhaps every 4 months. On average, perhaps every 4 months.

Job hunter: Have you looked at the .NET framework or other Web services platform to port the functionality of your software so it can be delivered via the Web? Have you looked at the .NET framework or other Web services platform to port the functionality of your software so it can be delivered via the Web?

Prospective employer: Yes. We formed a task group a couple of months ago, and they should be presenting their recommendation shortly. Yes. We formed a task group a couple of months ago, and they should be presenting their recommendation shortly.

And so it goes. A similar dialogue could happen in any industry. By using these diagnostic questions, the job hunter is inferring that she has a good grasp of the Web services model and the real threat that it poses to a traditional desktop software vendor. In this example, the questioning technique served to establish the immediate credibility of the job hunter with the prospective employer. Question based selling has the potential to transform an ordinary interrogative interview into a business discussion, allowing the job hunter to expand the scope of the questions and initiate a relationship with the employer.

Applying this technique to your job hunt will help to uncover the employer's needs that your skills, experience, and talents address in a natural uncontrived manner.

Other Examples of Lead-In/Follow-Up Questions

Marketing Communication Job hunter: May I ask you a question? May I ask you a question?

Prospective employer: Yes, if you make it quick. Yes, if you make it quick.

Job hunter: How many trade shows are you planning on attending in the next 12 months? How many trade shows are you planning on attending in the next 12 months?

Prospective employer: Currently, we are planning to attend 6 events, with perhaps another 2 to 3 events being considered. Currently, we are planning to attend 6 events, with perhaps another 2 to 3 events being considered.

Job hunter: Do you have defined specific goals for these events in terms of how many new leads are to be collected, prospective customers to be met, and/or major announcements to be made? How do you quantify your ROI for partic.i.p.ating at these events? Do you have defined specific goals for these events in terms of how many new leads are to be collected, prospective customers to be met, and/or major announcements to be made? How do you quantify your ROI for partic.i.p.ating at these events?

Prospective employer: Uum Uum . . . . . . well, we usually look at the number of new customers that we sign up in the 8 to 12 months following the event. well, we usually look at the number of new customers that we sign up in the 8 to 12 months following the event.

Job hunter: Do you build a communication plan for each event, which would outline deliverables and timelines tied to communication with existing/prospective customers, as well as media representatives and key opinion leaders? [You may be surprised to learn most companies don't have such a plan in place.] Do you build a communication plan for each event, which would outline deliverables and timelines tied to communication with existing/prospective customers, as well as media representatives and key opinion leaders? [You may be surprised to learn most companies don't have such a plan in place.]

Web Site Design Job hunter: May I ask you a question? May I ask you a question?

Prospective employer: Most certainly. What's on your mind? Most certainly. What's on your mind?

Job hunter: I noted on your web site that quite a few of your customers are in the public sector. I noted on your web site that quite a few of your customers are in the public sector.

Prospective employer: That is correct. That is correct.

Job hunter: Have these customers inquired about meeting compliance with the new accessibility standards as outlined in standards like W3C A, W3C AA, and U.S. Section 508? Have these customers inquired about meeting compliance with the new accessibility standards as outlined in standards like W3C A, W3C AA, and U.S. Section 508?

Prospective employer: As a matter of fact, more and more organizations are inquiring about this. As a matter of fact, more and more organizations are inquiring about this.

Job hunter: What are you advising your customer to do in terms of migrating to such compliant web sites? What are you advising your customer to do in terms of migrating to such compliant web sites?

The bottom line is this: If you have any in-depth knowledge of a subject that would enable you to contribute to an organization's success, you should be able to phrase 10 to 15 questions that would undoubtedly position you as an expert. Of course, make sure that you can answer these questions; otherwise it could get quite awkward if the prospective employer turns the table and questions you.

Better still, be ready to give concrete examples of how you could apply your knowledge in response to these diagnostic questions. Be smart about it. Make sure that you have a signed contract before answering too many questions. You have knowledge that prospective employers want to make use of, but that knowledge should not be offered for free.

GUERRILLA INTELLIGENCE.

Are You Outstanding?

Matt Ma.s.sey

To be outstanding is tough and it's not for the faint of heart. We connect every day with people who are uninspired and unmotivated. Individuals who are either too lazy or too whatever to challenge themselves to be better by setting standards for themselves that help them rise above the crowd. My recommendation is THROW OUT THE STATUS QUO. THROW OUT THE STATUS QUO.

Now, think of your last 3 job interviews-what did you do to put yourself above your compet.i.tors? What did you do to make the customer, prospect, or interviewer want to work with you? How did you engage them? Did you make a positive lasting impression? If you relied on the status quo, odds are the answer is no.

Now think about your next interview. What are you going to do to make that person want to hire you? How are you going to stand out from the 20 to 50 calls and countless e-mails he or she receives every day from people just like you?

Here are 3 ideas to help you stand out and outsell your compet.i.tion.

Get Research-Ready Before you make contact, research the prospective employers. Dig deep. Look for recent announcements or changes that may open doors. When you're informed about their business, you can speak to how your product, service, or your experience is relevant within their world.

Become an Instigator Being an instigator is tough to strive for. You have to be personally and professionally committed to breaking away from the traditional and throwing out your own status quo first. You need to demonstrate your value and professionalism on day one and build a relationship that will be the impetus for getting them to throw out their status quo and make decisions that will positively progress the sale of you you within their company. within their company.

Get in the 2 Percent Club I have a customer, Neil, who when we first sat down to discuss how he wanted to generate new business and how he wanted to differentiate his company, told me he wanted all of his customers and prospects to know that he and his partner were in the 2 percent club. Puzzled and thinking he had been recognized with some award in their industry, I asked Neil what he meant. Neil explained that if you put 100 salespeople in a room and told them the exact steps they needed to bring in a million dollars in business each year, only 85 of them would leave the room intent on following those steps. Within 2 weeks, only 40 of those 100 salespeople will still be following those steps. Within 2 months, maybe 15 or 20 of that original group would still be diligently following the path to revenue. Then finally, within a year, only 2 will remain. Two salespeople out of the 100 will have followed through. Two salespeople out of the 100 will have followed through. Get yourself into the 2 percent club by becoming more disciplined and diligent in your everyday activities and you are guaranteed to succeed no matter the position. Get yourself into the 2 percent club by becoming more disciplined and diligent in your everyday activities and you are guaranteed to succeed no matter the position.

If you begin executing on these 3 tips today, I guarantee, within a month you will be on a path to becoming one of the top 2 percent. You'll get there because you are challenging yourself to be better prepared to create new customer relationships and to be outstanding outstanding in a very compet.i.tive landscape. Strive in a very compet.i.tive landscape. Strive to stand out or to be outstanding. to stand out or to be outstanding.

Matt Ma.s.sey is president of drive2 Inc., a demand creation and lead generation company. He can be reached at www.linkedin.com/in/drive2/.

Strategy 3: Use Curiosity to Neutralize the Mismatching Reflex

Intrigue and mismatching do not coexist. Prospective employers cannot be intrigued and at the same time want to mismatch you. Your aim is to have employers become so curious about you that they will actually lean into the conversation. This helps facilitate an in-depth discussion, where you will be able to present your value added in the best light.

Leveraging Voice Mail

As you begin to set up interviews, you will run headfirst into the employer's voice-mail system. Immediately seize this opportunity and leave an intriguing message.

A typical all-too-common voice mail sounds like this:

Hi, Mr. Perry. My name is Frank and I am a marketing expert with well over 20 years of experience. I have been following your company for some time and am quite impressed with some of the recent successes. I would like to see if there would be an opportunity to meet with you to discuss how my qualifications and experience could serve your company.

Instead, try something like:

Good afternoon, David. I'm calling you because I have a question that only you can answer. Could you please call me back at [phone no.] before 4 PM?

Or the something-made-me-think-of-you technique: where you find additional information about the employer that could be used to prompt a callback:

Good afternoon, David. I'm holding a copy of an article published in the Wall Street Journal Wall Street Journal that mentions you in a review of the industry, and I have a question. If you would, please call me back tomorrow at [phone no.] before 10 AM? that mentions you in a review of the industry, and I have a question. If you would, please call me back tomorrow at [phone no.] before 10 AM?

Or:

Good afternoon, David. I just got off the phone with your partner Anita and I have a question. If you would, please call me back this morning [phone no.] before 11 AM?

The last tactic makes use of what's called an a.s.sociate reference. You infer a discussion with a colleague of the employer. The employer is definitely curious as to what his partner, Anita, might be up to. She's very compet.i.tive, you know.

Your goal in eliciting curiosity is to engage the prospective employer. Freese's book offers examples for using these strategies in a sales situation. With a little work on your end, you'll easily be able to adopt it for your job hunt.

Strategy 4: Momentum Helps Reduce the Mismatching Instinct