Ask Before You Leave

The biggest closing mistake is staying quiet about doubts. A concern you never hear about quietly turns into a no.

So near the end, ask plainly: "Is there anything about my background that gives you hesitation?"

This does three things:

• It surfaces a worry while you can still answer it
• It shows confidence, not insecurity
• It gives you one last shot to close the gap

Most people fear the answer. The strong ones go looking for it.