The Pop Quiz You Need to Pass
Frank Traditi
Remember the old "pop quiz" in school?
Wasn't it a great feeling when you knew the answers as soon as you saw
the questions? On the other hand, it was a real drag when you didn’t
have a clue.
In business, we're constantly being tested for our ability to perform. Whenever
a client hires you for a project or a service, you're expected to pass the
test.
Taking tests was never fun for me. One fine day in Social Studies in High School, the teacher sprung a pop quiz on us that I was totally unprepared for. I knew absolutely nothing about the questions asked and couldn't even muster up halfway decent answers. So, I submitted a loose-leaf sheet of paper with my name on it -- at least showing that I was in the class at the time of the quiz!
Not expecting the paper back, the teacher handed it to me and gave a classic answer, "Mr. Traditi, erase the goose egg and you can use the paper again." Needless to say, I was embarrassed, but a lesson was certainly learned that day.
Your prospects and hiring managers put you through the test to find out if they want to hire you -- either as their service provider or into their company. They may not ask you a history question, but they'll want to know you have the aptitude, skill and ability to bring them to the next level or solve their problem.
In any situation where you are in a position to market and sell yourself, you MUST pass this simple, but extremely important Pop Quiz before you do any kind of business with your client or hiring company.
What's this Pop Quiz? Is it easy? Is it multiple choice? Do I get to re-take the quiz if I miss the opportunity?
Here it is:
1. What can you do for me?
2. How can we successfully work together?
3. How can I prosper through your services or abilities?
That's it -- three simple questions.
It's not multiple choice. The questions are easy if you've done your homework. And you'll get very few chances to re-take the quiz.
Your prospects are seeking the help they need from the kind of services and abilities you provide. Essentially, they've made the decision they need to hire someone of your caliber to solve their problem or create opportunity.
Now, it's these three questions that become a continuous loop running through their mind whenever they talk to someone who can provide the answers. Your job is to ensure, without a shadow of doubt, that you've successfully answered these test questions.
Once you've received the passing grade on this pop quiz, you get to advance -- the client buys your services. However, you must pass this test before anything happens.
The answers to these three questions can vary greatly based upon your prospects situation and needs. So even though the questions always remain the same, your answers can fluctuate according to how the challenge is presented and how you interpret what they want and need from you.
In the next three chapters, we'll look at the components of these questions. We'll walk through the framework so you can be prepared for the test.
So, get out a piece of paper, your #2 pencil, and we’ll get started.
Copyright © 2006, Frank Traditi
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