I like movies, and I really like Oscars season. I usually try to watch all the Best Picture nominees, although I didn’t quite make it this year.
I know what you’re thinking: “He’s going to write something about how Warren Beatty messed up the Best Picture award. 🙄” I’ll be honest: I did consider that. But! I found something a little closer to my own heart 😉
Before I tell you about it, think for a minute about the people who go to the Oscars. Most of them are famous. Many of them are far more wealthy than I can even really comprehend.
These are people who fly on private jets. They own mansions. They own vacation homes in fancy-sounding places around the world. They can have pretty much whatever they want whenever they want it.
And then there’s this:
I mean, look at this!
“This is so cute.”
What are they so excited about? Jimmy Kimmel air-dropped free candy onto the audience and they went nuts over it.
When’s the last time you were this excited about a couple dollars of candy? Have you ever been this excited about a couple dollars of candy? I don’t think I have, and I love candy.
This is fantastic because Jimmy found a way to turn a couple dollars worth of candy into ecstasy for people who could literally buy the company that makes the candy.
So how did he get millionaires to freak out over a couple dollars worth of candy?
After the show, he said he knew people would get cranky as the show went on, but he needed the audience to be on their A-game all night because they’re such a big part of the show. So he gave them surprise snacks to keep them awake and happy. The result? Celebrities looking longingly at other celebrities’ candy.
Candy envy
Drop some Red Vines into your interviews
Jimmy identified a specific problem—the audience would get cranky without snacks—and provided a timely solution that was totally unexpected.
You can use this same tactic to get an outsized reaction in your job interviews. How?
Do some basic research (Google) so you know what needs the company currently has, and think specifically about how you can help them address those needs.
For example, if the company’s Jobs page is full of listings for Sales people in the mid-west region, they’re probably trying to grow the business in that region. And you would think about how your skillset and experience could contribute—directly or indirectly—to that goal.
“It looks like you’re trying to grow your business with more sales in the mid-west. I can help improve the user experience of your software so it’s easier to demo, and so more customers buy it after they try it.”
You can do this basic research in just 10–15 minutes, but the result can be huge: Drop some Red Vines into your interview, and you’ll get more high-quality job offers and more room to negotiate those offers.
My favorite candy is either Sour Patch Kids or Mike and Ikes (depends on the day). Today, it’s Mike and Ikes 😊
I call this interview technique “positioning”, and it’s a very potent tool you can use to differentiate yourself from other similarly-qualified candidates in your interviews and even when asking for a raise.
The Complete Bundle of Fearless Salary Negotiation includes an expert interview on exactly how to use positioning to get more high-quality job offers. Plus it has nearly three hours of video courses, email templates, worksheets, case studies and everything you need to know exactly what to say in your job interviews.