I had been on the job hunt for a while, determined to find something that matched both my skills and the pay I was aiming for. When I saw a posting for a position at Purolator paying $60 an hour, I knew I couldn’t just show up like every other candidate—I had to stand out. That’s when I decided to lean on elicitation techniques.
Instead of going into the interview with rehearsed lines, I focused on drawing information out of the hiring manager naturally. I asked open-ended questions about what challenges the team faced and listened carefully. By letting them talk, I learned what skills they valued most—efficiency, reliability, and strong communication with clients.
Each time they mentioned a problem, I subtly tied it back to my own experience. “That sounds like when I streamlined package routing in my last job,” I’d say, or “I’ve handled similar client situations and here’s what worked.” By reflecting their priorities back to them, I positioned myself as the exact solution they needed—without ever bragging outright.
By the end of the interview, it wasn’t me convincing them I was the right fit—they were already convinced. The manager even said, “It feels like you’ve been working here already.” A week later, I had the offer in hand: $60 per hour at Purolator, all thanks to the subtle power of elicitation techniques.
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