Interview with confidence, with a veteran recruiter at your side.

This guide is your companion as you take control of the interviewing process and find the job that’s right for you.

  • 170-page online book
  • Digital access to this title in the Holloway Reader
  • Downloadable PDF for personal offline use
Length: 170 pages
Edition: e1.1.0
Last Updated: 2023-09-25
Language: English
ISBN (Holloway.com):
978-1-952120-26-8
ISBN (print):
978-1-952120-28-2
Other Ways to Buy

Ask Me This Instead

Flip the Interview to Land Your Dream Job

by Kendra Haberkorn

Written by a veteran recruiter for job-seekers who want to find their dream jobβ€”not just the next job.

Why should only hiring managers and recruiters be in control of your job destiny? This book will empower you at every step of the hiring process, guiding you to understand your own skills and priorities, how to find the company that can give you what you want, and how to β€œflip the interview” to get real answers to your most important questions. No matter what field you’re in, whether you’re looking for your first gig or exploring options later in your careerβ€”it’s time you were in control.

Ask Me This Instead will teach candidates:

  • How to figure out what you really want out of a job
  • How to research companies to narrow your list of prospects
  • To craft a standout resume that’ll help you find fit in your next role
  • What you need to know about who is involved in the hiring process
  • How to use the interview to uncover the truth about the role, team, and company
  • Interview preparation tools and strategies

The book also offers:

  • Worksheets to help you uncover your priorities, craft a better resume, create an interview plan, and more!
  • A database of questions candidates can ask different interviewers that can be tailored to your priorities.

This book was created by a highly experienced recruiter, hiring manager, and consultant, who was inspired by her years of experience seeing candidates let interviewers hold all the power. The lessons and activities will help you stand out from the moment a prospective manager reads your resume, ensure you make the most out of the interview process, and confidently prepare to step into your new role. What are you waiting for?

Rachel Jepsen β€” Editor
About the Author
Kendra Haberkorn
The Moderneer
Kendra Haberkorn has led recruiting, people ops initiatives, and teams at world class consulting firms, large corporations, and fast growing startups. Her passion lies in enabling people to discover and access the career opportunities that will tap into their talents and complement their lives. With experience creating programs that impact the full employee experience, Kendra aims to design for and support mutual success–for the business and for teams and individuals. Based in Denver, Colorado, she works with early to mid-stage startups around the country to build strong people ops and talent functions, hire exceptional team members, and solve cultural, team, and operational challenges through periods of growth and transformation.

Featured Reviews

We’ve all snatched defeat from the jaws of victory when flubbing a job interview. That’s because when we don’t rise to the occasion, we sink to the level of our preparation. No more. This is the best book I’ve seen to prepare thoroughly for any interview, and set yourself up for success.
Michael Bungay Stanier (author of the WSJ bestseller The Coaching Habit)
Many people are reactive in their careers and let inertia drive their path. At RevelOne, we’ve seen that the most successful executives are introspective about the types of skills they bring and proactively identify the companies where they can have the most impact. Ask Me This Instead gives candidates a blueprint for this type of thinking and will ultimately help them achieve their near and long-term career goals.
Gary Calega (Co-Founder, RevelOne)
Finding the right employer/employee fit is so important, and yet so hard. Companies invest so much in recruiting, interviewing, and onboarding the right candidates, and the wrong fit is incredibly expensive. When candidates know what they want, and come in prepared with the right questions, the odds of a successful match increase considerably. This book is a must for candidates, hiring managers, and recruiters!
Joanna McFarland (Co-Founder and CEO, HopSkipDrive)
Having spent plenty of time on both sides of the interview table, I love that Kendra is so methodically addressing this incredibly important, massively under-discussed topic. A job candidate that fails to ask the critical questions in this book misses an enormous opportunity to peer into the future and predict the likelihood of a strong, long term employee-employer fit. What good is a job offer for the wrong job?
Tom Hammer (VC People Advisor; Former Head of People, Bird)

Table of Contents

Introduction
Target Companies and Evaluate Roles
Role
Inclusion and Belonging
People
Offer Package
Work-Life Balance
Career Path
Company Mission
Company Goals
Company Operations
Company Reputation
Employee Reviews
Employee Experience
Activity: Rank Your Top Priorities
A Job Title Is Just a Starting Point
Activity: Assess the Landscape
Activity: Create a Personal CRM
Break Down a Job Description
Activity: Break Down a Job Description
Write a Resume That Tells Your Career Story
Consider the Place and Time
Map Out Pivotal Moments
Include Tension and Conflict
Connect Your Story to Their Needs
Activity: Translate Your Story Into a Compelling Resume
Activity: Connect Your Story to the Roles You Want
Activity: Pair Your Resume with a Cover Letter
People and Power in the Interview Process
Manager
Department Executive or the Boss’ Boss
Activity: Craft Your Interview Elevator Pitch
Activity: Craft a Thank-You Note
CEO, Founder, or Other C-Level Exec
Peer or Team Member
Cross-Functional Colleague
Human Resources (HR)
Direct Report
Back-Channel
Ask Me This Instead
Table of Questions
Activity: Build Your 360Β° Interview Plan
Warning Signs in Interviews
Is the Hiring Team in Agreement on Why the Role Is Open?
Is There Clarity on the Responsibilities for the Role?
Is the Hiring Team Invested in Your Success?
Developmental Career Strategy
Take Power in the Process
Nurture Your Network
Interview, Interview, Interview
Get Ready to Run

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  • 170-page online book
  • Digital access to this title in the Holloway Reader
  • Downloadable PDF for personal offline use

Does this sound like you?

I think I found my dream job. What’s the best way to prepare for upcoming interviews?
I have an upcoming interview. How can I tell if this job is right for me?
I’m ready to take control of my career and find the role that matches my talents and career goals. How can I make sure my next job checks all the boxes?
I’m overwhelmed by the job market and need to know how to focus my efforts.
Interviewing is time-consuming and I want to make sure I’m going through the process with the right companies, and making the most out of the process.
I’m stuck in a job that isn’t right for me and want to make a change, but I need help figuring out what I want in my next role, and how to find it.
It’s been years since I wrote a resume and interviewed and I’m daunted by the job search process. Where do I start?
I want more from work but don’t know how to find it. I wish I had someone to coach me through the process.
I never know what to say when interviewers ask, 'Do you have any questions for me?' It’s so awkward!

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