What Color Is Your Parachute 2018 by Richard N. Bolles copy

path during all this Informational Interviewing. And that employer may be
so impressed with you, that they want to hire you, on the spot. So, it’s
possible that you’d get offered a job while you’re still doing your
information gathering. Not very likely, but possible. And if that happens,
what should you say?
Well, if you’re desperate, you will probably have to say yes. I remember
one wintertime when I was in my thirties, with a family of five, when I had
just gone through the knee of my last pair of pants, we were burning pieces
of old furniture in our fireplace to stay warm, the legs on our bed had just
broken, and we were eating spaghetti until it was coming out our ears. In
such a situation, you can’t afford to be picky. You’ve got to put food on
the table, and stave off the debt-collectors. Now.
But if you’re not desperate, if you have time to be more careful, then
you respond to the job offer in a way that will buy you some time. You tell
them what you’re doing: that the average job-hunter tries to screen a job
after they take it. But you are examining careers, fields, industries, jobs,
and particular organizations before you decide where you would do your
best and most effective work. And you’re sure this employer would do the
same, if they were in your shoes. (If they’re not impressed with your
thoroughness and professionalism, at this point, then I assure you this is
not a place where you want to work.)
Add that your informational interviewing isn’t finished yet, so it would
be premature for you to accept their job offer, until you’re sure that this is
the place where you could be most effective, and do your best work.
Then, you add: “Of course, I’m tickled pink that you would want me to
be working here. And when I’ve finished my personal survey, I’ll be glad
to get back to you about this, as my preliminary impression is that this is
the kind of place I’d like to work in, and the kind of people I’d like to
work for, and the kind of people I’d like to work with.”
In other words, if you’re not desperate yet, you don’t walk immediately
through any opened doors, but neither should you allow them to shut.
As I said, this scenario is highly unlikely. You’re networking with
workers. But it’s nice to be prepared ahead of time, in your mind, just in
case it does ever happen.
A Final Word: Contacts