Every interview eventually comes to an end.
For most hiring managers, the last few minutes of the interview dissolves into a milk-toast exchange of pleasantries.
Prospect: Thanks for taking the time to meet with me today. I really enjoyed learning about all the great things you have going on here.
Hiring Manager: I really enjoyed meeting you too. I think you have a lot of potential.
The end of the interview is a great opportunity to make something happen—so don’t waste it.
Provide Options. Near the end, provide three options for moving forward. Ask the prospect to choose one of the options.
Humans don’t like to contradict themselves. Knowing they made a commitment to take the next step (and said it out loud to another person) makes it harder to quit or change their mind at a later date.
Uncover Obstacles. Once a prospect chooses his next step, ask the following question: Based on what we discussed today, is there anything that would keep you from moving forward with your next step?
If there are barriers to making progress, you want to address those before the prospect leaves the room. You won’t be there later to help them solve their problems.
By purposefully closing the interview, you can alter how a recruiting prospect remembers their interview and help them focus on the next step.
