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THEM: Well…uh…Can you tell me a little bit about the job?

YOU: That’s a much longer conversation. I’m happy to have that conversation if we determine that you’re someone we want to interview. So tell me, why should we interview you?

(Notice that we are testing their ego in the first 60 seconds of the conversation.)

THEM: Well…um…Let’s see. I’ve been in sales for two years. I really like it and I like interacting with people. I feel that if it’s a good product or ser vice, I can sell it.

YOU: I’m not really hearing it.

THEM: What do you mean?

YOU: I’m not hearing superstar. I’m not really hearing top producer.

THEM: You’re not?

YOU: No.

(This rejection is intentional. It makes most HR executives cringe, but it works really well for determining, right then and there, what kind of person you have.)

THEM: Oh well…okay. Um, um…I guess you would know.

YOU: Yes, I would know.

THEM: Well…okay. Thanks very much. Bye.

Most people, particularly well-trained HR executives, will interview everyone in a loving and nurturing environment. In that kind of environment it is easy for people to present themselves well. When you put people like the person I just prescreened in the field where prospects are regularly rejecting them, they quickly give up. By using this technique in the first two minutes, you can very quickly determine who will rise to the occasion and perform in the face of adversity and who will crumble.

Here’s how the conversation should go:

YOU: Okay. You read our ad and it said, “Don’t even apply unless you think you’re the best.” So tell me why you think we should interview you.

THEM: Well…uh…Can you tell me a little bit about the job?

YOU: That’s a much longer conversation. I’m happy to have that conversation if we determine that you’re someone we want to interview. So tell me, why should we interview you?

THEM: Well let’s see…In my last job, I was the new guy and I had never sold widgets before, and, within three months, I was bringing in bigger accounts than they had ever had. In six months I was outselling people who had been there for five years.

(See how they start selling right away.)

YOU: That sounds good, but I’m not sure I’m hearing top producer.

THEM: Well, maybe you’re deaf.

It sounds funny, but I actually had a person say that to me and I hired him. The egos of the top producers will not let you tell them they can’t do the job. The ideal candidates will try to qualify you just as they would a prospective client. They will be tactful and start asking questions: “What kind of person are you looking for? What kind of a job is this?” Or they might say, “Well, what makes you say that?” Or they might start to sell you on them. They keep trying. That’s the bottom line. Their egos step in.

If you’re selling a product or ser vice that is a one-shot sale and that’s all your people do and there’s no follow-up or bonding needed, people who have a strong ego but don’t naturally bond with or relate well to others might be ideal. They will care more about closing the sale than anything else. These people do not make good team players, but you can’t have it all. They will produce. So you have to decide what’s more important—a lot of nice team players or a lot of sales. Again, such a candidate is not ideal for sales where you need to build a bond with clients and keep them buying.

Three Steps to Interviewing Superstars

Now that you’ve narrowed down the applicant pool, you’re ready to interview the top candidates. Here’s a three-part interview structure designed to draw out the superstars: relax, probe, attack.

Relax

Once candidates talk their way in for an interview, begin by giving them every opportunity to show their best side. Help them relax. You should be friendly and be a great listener. This will throw them after you treated them so harshly in the prescreen. They come in loaded for bear, and here you are supernice right from the start. Another technique I