Interview Tip: WIIFM?

Do you know what WIIFM is? It may be the most important aspect of a job interviewer when you are speaking with the hiring manager or the people on the team you'll be working with so if you don't know WIIFM, you should read on.

WIIFM: What's In It For Me?

Having a WIIFM Strategy for your interview is often the difference between getting the job and being the runner-up. You want to have a strategy in place and ready to execute that allows you to show the people with whom you're interviewing what's in it for them if they choose to make the job offer to you instead of your competition.

But first, a word about the team members and hiring managers who are conducting the interview. They are often more afraid of conducting a bad interview than you are of interviewing poorly. Think about it. Interviewing isn't one of their core job functions. They might only do it once or twice a year. There wasn't a class they took that taught them how to interview. There probably wasn't any training in the art of interviewing at their company. They're winging it.

Many of these hiring managers fall back on talking more than they listen. They spend too much time talking about the job and its requirements than they do delving into your skillset and experience.

It's your responsibility to help them if you really want the job. WIIFM is the key to that. Put yourself in their shoes and solve their problems. You do this by asking questions.

The first step is finding their pain. Ask them about the challenges they face. Ask them if they have to put in extra time or effort to do the work that not having someone in this position is dropping into their lap. Ask them questions to learn what issues and problems they hope to solve by hiring someone for the job you're trying to get.

Once you have a feel for their pain points show them how you are the solution to their pain. Show them what's in it for them if they choose to hire you. You can do this by telling them if you choose but once again, asking questions might be a subtle way of showing them, instead of telling them, how you're the right fit.

For instance:

• It sounds like you need someone who has a history of picking things up quickly and ramping up fast so that you can get back to your normal responsibilities, what are the key things that indicate to you a person can learn quickly?
• If you were to hire me, what could I take off your plate immediately so you can focus on your other responsibilities?
• What gaps does the team have that you need to have immediately filled?

You can ask anything you want but you want to focus on your questions to show them that you are concerned with solving their problems, making their lives easier, and being an asset who will make less work for them, not more.

When the interviews are done and they are choosing whom they want to hire they are very naturally going to think about which candidate is going to make their lives the easiest. We all do it. What's in it for us? Stand out as the solution to their problems and you'll be the one to get the offer.