(Time to read this Blog is about 3.5 minutes)

Before we get to the main topic, here are a few things to get you thinking or smiling:

1. My Biz Quote of the week:
   “Many things in business and life are outside of our control.  But two key things that we’re in total control of are our attitude and our effort!”  
   …Donald Cooper.
    
2. Quick Biz Tip:
   Sometimes you need a ‘guide’, not someone who’d love to give it a try:
    
   Building a great team is a combination of:
   1. Developing those with potential within your business and giving them an opportunity to ‘give it a try’ and…
   2. Knowing when it’s best to recruit experienced ‘guides’ from outside the business.
       
      When looking for key team members that you’re counting on to guide you to ‘the next level’…it’s generally best to pick someone who has successfully been to that level in an industry or circumstances similar to yours.  This is especially true when the business lacks experience or depth in whatever the new project or direction might be.
       
      When you’re hiring someone to take you into new and unfamiliar territory, ‘track record’ matters. A ‘guide’, by definition, is someone who has been there before. They’ve done the ‘learning curve’ thing and they’re ready and able to take action from day one. There are lots of opportunities to support and encourage the folks with potential who would love to give it a try…but this isn’t one of them.
       
3. Fun fact.  30% of Canadian homes are owned by investors who don’t intend to live in them.
    
4. Improve your biz Culture. Here’s an opportunity to use my insightful Biz Tool #B18, ’17 keys to Creating a Winning Culture in Your Business.’, no charge.  It has been said that ‘Culture trumps Strategy’ in business.  Use this Biz Tool to calculate a ‘Culture Score’ out of 100 for your business and to determine which parts of your Culture need ‘fixing’.  To access Biz Tool #B18, Click Here.
    
5. AI update. Since AI is the current ‘hot ticket’, each week I’ll bring you specific AI innovations to get you thinking about how you might use AI in various parts of your business.  If you have examples to share about how you’re using AI, I’d love to hear from you.
    
   One area where AI is proving especially valuable is prenatal care, particularly in identifying and managing high-risk pregnancies. With the ability to comb through vast datasets, then make accurate predictions and personalize care plans, AI is providing a powerful tool for healthcare profexxionals to protect both mothers and babies.
    
6. A shameless plug! If your company, Industry Association or local Chamber of Commerce has a Business Conference this year that will benefit from my extraordinary bottom-line management and marketing insights and ‘straight talk’ delivery style, perhaps we should chat.  I still have some availability in the 2^nd half of this year and in early 2026.
    
   I’ve delivered over 3,000 Conference Sessions in over 40 industries around the world…and I’m starting to get the hang of it.   As part of my commitment to deliver extraordinary outcomes, I do the homework to customize and I stay for the entire Event because some of the most important value is always delivered off-stage in quiet and confidential conversations.  I’m easy to find at donald@donaldcooper.com.

Now, to this week’s important topic:

3 ‘game-changing’ questions to ask when interviewing for a position with a new company: 

Most of you will not be applying for a new job in the foreseeable future, but you probably have a relative, friend or neighbour who is.  Pass this tip on to them. The job market is tougher right now than it’s been for 20 years and will likely get tougher over the next few years…especially for recent grads and young people in general.  So, they need to differentiate themselves.  They need an edge, and my ‘3 Tips’, below, just might be it.

Here are Cooper’s three things to discuss in a job interview that will change the conversation and differentiate you from most of the other candidates.  

1.  Say something like this, “Hiring people who are a strong fit with your culture, who will honour it and enhance it, is key.  Can you tell me a bit about the most important aspects of your culture so that we’ll both know if I’m a great fit?”
    
   Then, if you’re not a great fit, say so and excuse yourself.  Don’t waste your time, or theirs.
    
2. Then, say something like this, “The next thing you’ll want to know is whether I can do the job that you’re hiring for today…and do it wonderfully and efficiently.  Do you have a ‘Job Description’ for this position that we can review, or can you tell me about the job, the outcomes that you’re looking for and the abilities and activities that will typically deliver those outcomes?”
    
   Also ask, “How will my performance be evaluated?”
    
   Even better, when you accept an appointment for a job interview, ask that a Job Description be emailed to you ASAP so that you can study and be prepared to discuss it intelligently.  Note:  If they don’t have a Job Description, or they have one that’s badly written, that’s a strong clue about the lack of professionalism of the business.

3. Finally, say something like, “The third thing that’s important to you is whether or not I can help you grow the business to where you commit to be in 3 to 5 years. Can you tell me a bit about what you want the business to become and the kind of person in my area of expertise that you’ll need to help make that happen?  I’m career-focused, not just job-focused, so I’m interested to know how I can be helpful longer term.”
    
   Taking charge of the conversation by asking questions like this will clearly differentiate you, will give you more confidence and will tell you a lot about how sharp and professional this company is…and whether it would be a good career move for you.

That’s it for this week…

Live brilliantly and be kind to each other!       

Donald Cooper 

Donald Cooper speaks and coaches internationally on management, marketing, and profitability.  He can be reached by email at donald@donaldcooper.com in Toronto, Canada.