jeemThat’s not at all what I was alluding to – getting an offer simply to drive an immediate counter-offer is pretty clumsy, rarely works and will probably mark you out as a tart. What is more important is that your use of interviews gives you a general understanding of what you could be earning elsewhere. Use that market rate knowledge at annual review time.Reasons to go to interviews….1. Because you want a new job.2. Because you want to meet some good quality headhunters and start to develop a network in this area. I once went to an interview with an HH and at the end of the interview chose not to proceed as his client was a software sales company. Eight months later he came back to me with my dream job at a consultancy start-up which I accepted.3. To meet people at other companies and develop a network in this area. 4. To learn what other companies do, how they do it, how they are structured, etc. This will provide you with a base to compare your own firm. Is it more bureaucratic, does it have a better culture, does it promote from within, etc?5. To practice your interview technique! Amazes me how many people never think of this! They turn down every option that isn’t perfect and then when their perfect job comes up they’ve had no rehearsal opportunity.6. To learn how to turn things down. Saying “no thanks” to things breeds self-confidence.In terms of HOW to turn something down once you’ve started it? Frankly you’re worrying too much about this. As you “discover” things about the opportunity (even things you already knew) that are not attractive, GENTLY comment on them, e.g. “sorry, can I just clarify, from what you say, you tend to work with slightly tier two brand companies, rather than exclusively FTSE ones?” If you say something like that while making a slightly concerned face, any decent interviewer will pick up on it.In terms of CLOSING out the opportunity, again be direct and don’t lie about the reason – simply say what it is about your current company that you prefer. Once I was established as reliable revenue generator, every interview I went to I would come to the conclusion that I would only move to a firm that wanted me to lead the revenue team for a practice area. Some places would say I wasn’t ready for that, but most would agree to stay in touch, and two of them came back to check on me in the following years.The key is to “discover” the issue as if you are doing so for the first time in the interview, as if it has helped you crystalise your thoughts. Don’t say “yeah, I though this would be a waste of both our times”.
