by Don Speck
What if you went to a doctor’s office, and the doctor asked you only ONE question about how you were feeling, then told you he/she was going to admit you to the hospital to operate! Pretty scary, don’t you think? That would be malpractice and the doctor would go to jail!
How many times when you go on a job interview are you truly getting to know and understand your “patient’s needs” and symptoms? Many times we are so anxious to get through our list of “what we have done in our career” that we tend to overlook what our potential employers want. Are you taking the time to truly understand the symptoms of their problems? Good doctors offer many solutions or alternatives based on their patient’s needs. In working with many sales people over the years, I have found that many of the same “doctor” techniques can be used when selling “you” to a potential employer. Consider these following ideas. You might be able to improve your chances of determining if that job you are pursuing is truly the right one for you.
As good “doctors” you need to ask appropriate questions to make sure you understand what “your patients” are looking for. To prescribe the most effective remedy, you must first arrive at a proper diagnosis. Good doctors always do 4 things. QUESTION, LISTEN, PROBE and PRESCRIBE.
Here are a few things to think about when using this “doctor” analogy:
QUESTIONING
Good doctors take the time to ask enough clarifying questions like: “When did you start to notice this?” “How long has this been bothering you?” “Does it only happen at certain times?” “Have you done anything different since this started?” Think about what type of questions you can ask your “patients” to better understand their situation before you move forward and try to sell yourself for the job. Don’t think you are the solution until you truly understand all their symptoms.
LISTENING
The most trusted doctors have learned that a patient’s words can only tell part of the story. They have learned to listen not only with their ears, but also with their hearts. By being aware of body language and the emotion behind the words, the very best doctors discipline themselves to listen for the whole story.
Think about how good it feels when you encounter someone who truly listens and understands YOU. Realize that you can be that person for your “patient”. Listen, not just to gain information, but also to gain understanding and insight into what your “patient” is trying to tell you. This demands your full attention and commitment to understanding. Only by understanding where the pain is, can you help to alleviate it. When you think you have arrived at a full understanding of the situation, STOP. Force yourself to ask two more questions and listen closely to be sure you have it right!
PROBING
Good doctors dig deep to make a proper diagnosis and find the underlying cause of the problem. Make sure you explore the “patient’s needs” to better understand the dynamics of their situation. Many times, what is on the surface is only masking the real problem.
Regard each of their answers as a link in a chain, which will enable you to build a strong bond with the “patient,” link by link. Don’t be overly focused on asking pre-scripted questions as if you were going through a pre-flight checklist. Create a dialogue. Don’t let them interrogate you. Answer their questions but make sure you ask one in return for every one of their questions. Allow both the questions and answers to flow and allow your interaction to build an accurate picture of the situation.
Be sure to ask questions that leave room for the patient to respond on their terms. Some examples of “open ended” questions would be: “Tell me more about that?” “Can you describe it for me in more detail?” “When did you first notice that this was occurring?” “You mentioned something earlier (whatever that was), how is that affecting you when it keeps happening?” “What other things are occurring because of this?” Force yourself to dig deeper into issues that your “patients” are sharing with you.
PRESCRIBING
Good doctors prescribe a solution only after truly understanding the patient’s pain and symptoms. They also talk about risks and consequences (i.e., “You are in pain, x-rays verify your leg is broken. We can get you into the hospital and take care of this right away but you have to understand, it won’t heal properly on its own!”)
Other times doctors will prescribe a sequence of cures. They can then determine if their solution is addressing the problem. Are you doing that with your clients? Have you thought about proposing a project that you could work on, for 30 or 60 days to show them what you can do for them? Are you giving them options on how to solve their problems or better yet, can you craft a new position based on what you have uncovered? Think about it…you get to write your own job description!!
Do you prescribe only after you have a good understanding of the circumstances and issues they are facing? Review, follow up and check back with your patient to see if what you suggested will work effectively and what side effects there may be? Good doctors are with their patients throughout the entire healing process.
Keep these things in mind as you talk with your “patients” and diagnose the needs of the position. Don’t be guilty of career malpractice!