How often have you been satisfied with answers you received when involved in a serious exploration (employment interview, sales call, consulting project) only to learn later that the person gave you all the "right" answers, but not what you were looking for& the true meaning behind the answers?

Magic bullet questions don't always work

Often people develop "magic bullet" questions that they believe are a litmus test of foolproof information that assures a correct decision. Here lies the rub& people can give you practiced, trumped up, pat answers to your carefully chosen common, predictable employment interview questions, without giving you meaningful answers.

To many, those answers are totally reasonable. Precisely because they are common replies, they carry the feel of the conventional. They seem to ring true. Note that the reason they are conventional, however, may be that they are often programmed by job-seeking advice books, career counselors, friends and neighbors. All of these sources have the best of intentions, and are trying to help the person spin the truth in order to mask the true meaning behind their answers.

Answers and real meanings

We have collected some common answers and some(somewhat fanciful) alternative meanings:

"I'm keeping my options open" Can mean: "I can't make a decision about my own future, but I'm willing to affect yours I lack self-confidence in my employability, but I don't want you to find out I can talk anyone into hiring me, and so I'll hold out for the highest bidder I go through life "playing not to lose" and I can do the same for you if you let me run (your company, your plant, your department)."

"I'm seeking challenge and opportunity" May mean: "I am deflecting your question& I stayed in that boring job for so long out of inertia, and now that I'm laid off I'd like my next job to be more interesting& All of the self-help books said I should answer this question that way."

"Money is less important than opportunity" Could mean: "The first one who mentions dollars loses, and I don't want it to be me and I'm willing to take my time talking about a job that won't be right for me, this is just a practice interview, after all, and I don't know what I'm worth." "I left because my boss and I had important philosophical differences" Possible meaning: "Differences over my sexual harassment of my staff& my expense account padding my lack of a work ethic" (you fill in the blank from the last time you arranged a story for a departing employee who would like to utilize the "philosophical differences" reason).

"I'm flexible it doesn't matter what discipline, industry, market, technology I work in." May mean: "I didn't understand the business of the last place I worked in very well, and still they promoted me, so I figure I can "get by" in your business, too, I have no definite career plan, no passion for myself. I think you're gullible enough to believe anything I say with a smile."

Most not out to trick you

We do not mean to imply that all people are out to trick you, but since so many people you interview are misled into thinking it is wise to reply with statements like these, don't come down too hard on someone who gives answers like them. You can help them by asking them to speak more frankly, then listen well and drill down to the meaning within their answers. You'll guess better that way than you will by accepting your favorite answers to your favorite questions.

Jude M. Werra & Associates" in Brookfield, WI can be contacted at jmwa@execpc.com or 262-797-9166.

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