How not to ace an interview

He may think you are playing hard to get. Are you concerned about your current employer finding out?

I really do think this could just be a quota-type thing, too. He gets a nice lunch (which I'm sure will be covered as a business expense), and the chance to say to his higher-ups, "I interviewed five people for this position, and [person he always had in mind] is the clear front-runner."

Then that would be allright with me.


As for playing hard-to-get, I don't think so. Generally if you don't show enthusiasm for a job offer, they cross your name off and go looking elsewhere.

My current boss would go absolutely nuts if she found out. We have quite a good relationship and she would be so hurt to think I was looking elsewhere. Even if I explained that I was head-hunted and I didn't go after this job, she would be concerned. That being said, how do I know if or when SHE gets contacted by other companies?

All the same, I want to keep it very quiet that I am meeting this guy and will say nothing to anyone.

Maybe he's just very impressed with your credentials and wants to get your input about the job -- so he can see what type of credentials he should look for in other candidates.

True, he may still try to pitch the job to you, but he may also be looking to get some advice from you about the type of candidate he wants to hire.

But I think you were right to be up front about the fact that you don't want to leave your current position and turned down the interview.

I dunno Heeven. I'm in a bit of the same sort of thing myself at the moment.

I was contacted last week about a job that would require me moving to Dayton, OH. I looked a bit and decided that I really don't want to relocate for this particular job.

The president of the company called me yesterday and made an offer. Luckily it wasn't quite as good as my current compensation package so I declined but he was very adamant that he would be back in contact with me shortly and would have a package that I couldn't refuse.

I'm dreading that call. I half expected to hear from him today but got lucky. Maybe I can just ignore the phone all day tomorrow. Ugh.

Hey, congrats on the offer!

Hope it works out well all around. Maybe a boost at your present job?

Decisions....decisions...decisions....

Hmm, this just occurred to me as my friend may have 'overstated' my skills or acted a wee bit too enthusiastically about me joining their team, since we got along so well when we worked together before. If this is the case, then I don't mind him picking my brain as it were.




Yeppers, this is what I don't want to happen. While it is a lovely ego-boost that someone might find me valuable, I don't want to be in a situation where a bridge could be burned, especially in an industry that is as close-knit as this where everyone knows everyone. I don't want to piss off someone who I find could be my boss in 5-10 years in another company!

Don't worry, heeven. You laid your cards on the table, he's now the one who's gonna have to work. You're the one who's going to be sittin back and nodding - he wants something from you, not you from him, and you both know it.

You must tell us how the lunch went...and how was Cafe Budapest. I didn't know there's such place in Boston...must check it out.

Did you have the lunch meeting yet, Heeven? How did it go?

Yep, I met him for lunch and I expected to be uninterested in the position and the company. However, he was very nice. We got along extremely well, chatting up a storm ... and the job sounded great. It is right up my alley. It is interesting. It's with a team of people who get along very well together (some of whom I already know). I told him I am content where I am, that I am getting XYandZ benefits and although I agreed I would be a good fit for the position [see, what I mean? what did I tell you?], I had not considered leaving my current job. He didn't pressure me or push me. He told me I sounded like the missing piece to their jig-saw and he wanted me to 'think about it'. He has asked me to take a week or so and get back to him with any reasons why I would stay (at my current job) rather than go (to this new job) - money, benefits, perks, hours, responsibilities, etc. and give him a call. We did not discuss money at all except for him to ask me if I will give him a ballpark of what salary I am currently earning (in the next week or so).

I was all set to say no to this job but now he has me thinking ... blast!

Plus I come into work today and everybody here seems to be getting on my nerves! It's a Murphys-law day today, nothing is going right.

To be honest I am 50/50 now. I don't know what to do - stay/go.

I am going to call my sister and yak her ear off and get her opinion, along with a coupla glasses of red wine, and spend some time this weekend thinking it through.

Ok, I guess he didn't want to just pick your brain!!

But it sounds like a sweet offer! I guess the main thing is to figure out what you want in terms of salary/benefits/perks, etc., and see if they can match what you need.

Good luck! Keep us posted.