Page 156 - James Caan - Get the Job you Really Want

come to work for you?’ If you want to hire a really good person,
you have to be quite good yourself. Good people don’t work for
average people.

Going one step further

Let’s say the first interview went well and you have been called

back for a second appointment. You’ve now got the interview
booked. What’s stopping you from calling again and saying, ‘I’m
really looking forward to the next meeting. When we met, you
mentioned that there were twelve people in the department.
I am just wondering, James, would it be possible for me to meet

somebody who I would be working with?’ What could I say? It is
di≤cult for me to say no.
Imagine you do meet somebody in the department. The

chances of you then not getting the job are very slim. Because,
all of a sudden, the information that is now available to you gives
you the best possible chance of getting the job. You are going to
meet someone you can ask, ‘What do you do? Tell me about the
department. Tell me what the last guy was like: what were his

strengths, what were his weaknesses? How long have you been
here? What are the key characteristics that you think people who
succeed here have in common?’

Even if you have only twenty minutes with someone from the
department, they could tell you everything you want to know.
And when you walk into that second interview, you are in a
strong position – if not a stronger position than the interviewer.

144 get the job you really want