Dear J.T. & Dale: I just heard about a great job that might be opening up in my company. Should I wait until it is officially posted to talk to the manager who’ll be doing the hiring? — Dustin

Dale: Pause just long enough to prepare to do it right, and then jump in. Even if they go ahead and interview a lot of people, there is a psychological advantage to being the first or last person to interview for a job — psychologists call it “primacy” and “recency,” the tendency to remember the first and last in a chain. (For example, if you’ve had a lot of bosses, you easily recall the first and the last, right?)

J.T.: As for pausing to prepare, before you meet with the manager, make sure you can answer three questions:

1. Why do you think the job is a great move for the company?

2. How can you save and/or make the company money in the job?

3. How will you hit the job running?

Dale: Notice the theme of J.T.’s questions — it’s not about YOU, but about how you can help the company/manager.

J.T.: That’s how you give the manager reasons to (A) press ahead and create the position and (B) put you at the top of the list to fill it.

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Jeanine “J.T.” Tanner O’Donnell is a professional development specialist and the founder of the consulting firm, jtodonnell.com, and of the blog, CAREEREALISM.com. Dale Dauten resolves employment and other business disputes as a mediator with AgreementHouse.com. Please visit them at www.jtanddale.com, where you can send questions via e-mail, or write to them in care of King Features Syndicate, 300 W. 57th St, 15th Floor, New York, NY 10019.

© 2010 by King Features Syndicate, Inc.