When you’re pursuing a job that you really want, it can be overwhelming to think that when it comes down to whether you get the job, you end up losing the race over something you could have done differently. So often when you end up in second place, you end up wracking your brain over what would have made the difference so that you got the job. So what can you do to insure that you end up in first place at the finish line, and you’re the one who gets the job?
- You’re working with a recruiter
If you’re reading this you are presumably working with one of our recruiters at Ambrion, or are considering working with us. Of course we are writing this as an executive search firm, so we inherently believe that we bring value to our clients and candidates. However, let us explain why our candidates choose to work with us when they start looking for the next steps in their careers. One major advantage to your job search when you’re working with a recruiter is that they usually know the person who is hiring for the role. When a client reaches out to Ambrion to start working on an open position, it’s likely not the first time we’ve worked with them to find the next person to join their team. What that means for you as a candidate is that you will likely understand the hiring process that you’ll go through before it even starts, and know how to navigate potential pitfalls before experiencing them.
Additionally, when you’re working with a recruiter, your resume gets to the person who will be hiring for the role. There is a much smaller likelihood that your resume gets sent into cyberspace, never to be looked at again. This also means that if you’re not being considered for the role, you’ll hear that feedback too, and won’t wait on pins and needles by your phone for weeks to hear if you’ll make it to the interview round.
- What problem are they hiring you to solve?
Everybody tells you that you should be asking questions during your first interview. However, not all questions are created equal. You’ll want to ask questions that get to the heart of what the role will do for the organization, and what critical functions it will be responsible for accomplishing. If you can show that you’re thinking about what it is that you can do for them, and asking to see the big picture before you get to the second round of interviews, you’ll likely get to the second round of interviews. So many candidates are focused on what this new job will do for their career they forget to shift the conversation toward how they can help solve a problem or create a solution facing this department or organization. You’ll want to walk a bit of a fine line here because you don’t want to come off as a “know it all.” For instance, even if you streamlined a reporting process in your current role, you don’t totally understand the challenge facing this employer, and before you launch into how you can fix this in one afternoon, you’ll want to fully understand the issue. This is also an area where your recruiter will be able to give you background on why this role is pivotal, and what the hiring manager is looking for in their next team member. If you can position yourself as the person being able to bring the kind of forward looking perspective with a willingness to roll up your sleeves and get to work, you’re going to be tough competition.
- Are you concerned about anything in my background or my ability to do any part of the job?
This is a key question for you to ask at the end of your first interview. Not only does it have the potential to give you insight into what skills or experience you failed to highlight when answering interview questions, it might also tell you what a competitor might have that you don’t. Ideally, you simply forgot to go over an area where you have desirable, applicable experience, and can just take a minute to discuss it. However, if you don’t have the skills or experience the interviewer is specifically addressing, indicate if it is experience you’re hoping to get, and is part of the reason you’re so interested in pursuing this role. As much as your interviewer is making sure that you’re a fit for the role, organization, and culture, they are also looking for you to tell them why you want to work there. So if you can add in a straightforward statement explaining why you want the job, that will go a long way to let them know that you’re as interested in them as they are in you.
- Your proudest accomplishment is. . .
Again, this is probably not something you want to lead with if you aren’t asked a question along these lines. You could bring this up when asked about your biggest strengths. The reason you want to proactively talk about your proudest professional accomplishment is because it provides a real life example of how you succeeded in the face of adversity, overcame the impossible, or just went above and beyond. In addition, it gives you the platform to then explain how you’d like to build on your previous experience, that you’re not done yet, and you look forward to applying what you’ve learned throughout your career to the success of their company. This kind of statement shows that you’re able to be reflective, thoughtful and again are wanting to provide value the minute you walk through the door on your first day.
Taking this approach to framing your experiences and relating them to how you’ll create value for an organization is a tough thing to ignore during the interview process as a hiring manager. Keep these four things in mind during your race to be “the candidate,” and you won’t have to worry about second place.