‘Closing the File’ on Jobs and Interviews

Sandler Rule 31 reminds salespeople to “close the case or close the file.” When a prospect says “no,” a salesperson can ask questions to discover what the “no” really means. While exploring this, a salesperson should pursue three questions: Is this a good fit? Is this person willing to work with me? Could my efforts be more productive somewhere else?

During my job search throughout my senior year, I have had to learn both when to close the file on a job and when to let the file close on me. For example, I once went to an interview for a sales job in which the interviewer asked me if I would be willing to relocate. I explained that I would be willing to relocate on a temporary basis for training, but that I would like to stay in the Pittsburgh area in the long-term. The interviewer responded, “We need an unequivocal yes.” I was not able to give such a definite answer. Within five minutes of the start of the interview, the interviewer explored my “no” to understand that this would not be a good fit for either of us. He said, “We appreciate you coming in, but there’s no point in going through the motions of the interview.”

While closing the file on a job is almost always disappointing, I am grateful for this interviewer’s ability to probe for the “no.” Often, a good fit simply does not exist. In these cases, it is better for both parties to understand this sooner rather than later. I wish that a few of my other job leads had concluded in a similar way, rather than with me giving up after months of trying to find a fit where there was not one. By exploring “no’s” and becoming more willing to close the file, applicants and employers alike can move forward and apply their efforts in more productive ways elsewhere.