Had a great VP of Sales job provided to me from an executive VP who I placed 25 years ago and he remembered me. It’s a good job, a front line management position with seven reports, the company is phenomenal and the growth and earnings potential are excellent.
I call one of my candidates, Don. Here’s how the conversation went:
I explained to Don what the opportunity was and how it would be good for him…the company…the job.. the executive VP…the works!
Don: “Tony, I am just absolutely so covered up. I can’t do any kind of interview. I got my kickoff meeting coming up that I need to prepare for. I know I need to leave this lousy company that I’m at. I hate the place, but I’m just so covered up I can’t interview anywhere. It sounds like an okay job, but I just am too covered up to give it any time today.”
Tony: “I know you’re covered up, good people always are, but we’ve been looking for a new position about six months now and we haven’t found but one interview since then. Positions like this at the money you make are really hard to find and you owe it to yourself to speak to these people. It’s only going to be 30 or 45 minutes of video call and you owe it to yourself to at least talk to the guy.”
Don: “I know these things are hard to find, but I’m just so covered up with all the things I have to do I just can’t take the time to do it. And I’m going to get a bonus at the end of this month and I probably won’t leave here even though I hate the place until then.”
Tony: “Don, you owe it to yourself to at least talk to the guy…even if it’s for down the road.”
Don: “Well Tony, I’ll do it for you because you’ve been trying so hard to get me interviews. I’ll make you look good. But I’m just too covered up and stressed.”
Don has the interview. Don calls me.
Don: “Wow Tony, you were right. That’s one of the best guys that I’ve ever interviewed with. It’s a great job and it fits me perfectly. We talked for an hour and he’s moving me to the next level of interviews. I really like him and he says that I would be one of the top contenders. It’s a $20,000 better base than I’ve got now, the company was just taken back private and it’s going to be going public in three to five years. There is lots of stock and the job is perfect. I’m anxious to go to the next level.”
Moral: NEVER pass up an interview!
