5 proven ways to turn disinterest into a job offer

You landed an introduction to a hiring decision-maker through a mutual connection. Now the person across the table is being perfectly pleasant—and barely paying attention. There’s no open role; they’re doing someone a favor. This nice conversation is going nowhere, and a job offer is out of reach. A client of mine sat in exactly that chair. He was in a C-suite search, and a connection had opened the door to a meeting with the CEO of a middle-market company. With no posting and no mandate, my client could tell right away that the CEO’s attention was somewhere else. So he took control of the situation. “Why don’t I take a moment to share my background,” he said, “and then I’d welcome your take on where I might be able to help your organization—now or down the road.” Then he delivered a powerful, well-rehearsed 90-second pitch. As he was delivering the pitch, he noticed the CEO start to lean forward and make eye contact. For the first time, she was listening intently. When my client finished, she said, “Wow, you’re the real deal,” and started asking him questions. The courtesy meeting transformed into an interview for a role he didn’t know existed—which led to more interviews and ult…