Instant Interviews: 101 Ways to Get the Best Job of Your Life

Chapter 35. Arriving at Airports, Stations, and Depots

If you could find a free job fair with unlimited offerors 24/7, would you go? You just did.

When you're an instant interviewer—an incurable interviewaholic—your life shifts from chasing after teasers to identifying which rooms work. Airports, train stations, and bus depots are crazygood.

Some differences among them, though:

Attacking at Airports

The separate gate arrangement at airports gives you a perfect chance to instant from one to the other without the privacy problems of groups (Do 56). It's amazing.

Keep your carry-on light. Go to the first domestic carrier gate you see in a city you'd like, and look for a well-dressed business-looking person. You don't need to spot a laptopper like when on the plane (Do 38) because offerors are in plain sight. Always pick someone who's alone and doesn't appear to be guarding a companion's luggage.

Then, rest your recruited rump and say, "Hi! Do you have business in Boston?"

You might hear, "Yes."

You then say, "I hear it's a beautiful city. What's it like?"

Him: It is beautiful. I'm visiting my largest wholesaler to review our distribution system.

You: I'm waiting for a plane to Denver. What are your products?

The rest is exactly like any sitting side-to-side instant interview (Do 56). Fifteen minutes, eyeball, smile, say goodbye with a handshake, business card exchange (Do 1), and it's off to the next gate.

Stompin' at the Station

Train stations are a great place anyway. The security is civilized, ...