The Control Statement

by Karine Blackett

What do you do if you are in the interview and it is going from bad to worse? If you are the one being interviewed this can be quite alarming. You start to get a sinking feeling in your gut and it seems that no matter how hard you try, the interview is going south.

This is the time to use the control statement. What is a control statement? It is a statement that you make that changes the direction of the interview. You get to be in the driver’s seat.

For example, let’s say that the interview is going badly and the interviewer has asked you another question in a tone of voice that you can tell means “you do not have a chance.”  You do not answer the question. Instead you say, “I know you are pressed with time, and I really would like two minutes to tell you why I am impressed with your company, why I applied, and how I feel I can meet and exceed your expectations in this position.”

The floor is yours: You have two minutes to sell yourself. Tell the interviewer exactly what you can do for the company. Let her know that you want the job and that you have the skills to add value to her organization. Use examples to prove that you have what it takes. Demonstrate the research you've done on the company.  At the end (keep it short), thank her for her time, and tell her that you would like the job.

The control statement is not a tool to use in 99% of your interviews. It should only be used in situations when there is no hope of turning the interview around.  This is your emergency tool. Perhaps you were so nervous that you fumbled the ball during the first part of the interview; the control statement is your “save.” Use it sparingly, but know how to use it. I have had some students report that they actually got the job by using their control statements.