Invited firm: María Luisa Moreno Cobián
Most people want to know that magic phrase that’ll get them through the interview and land them the job. But the truth is surprisingly different: 80% of your chance of getting that job has to be created BEFORE you reach the interviewer’s office.
The first mistake people make is thinking job interviews are about “answering questions”. That’s how you could let the job slip away. A job interview is about being able to tell your story coherently and getting your key messages across.
You can’t do that if you leave what happens in the interview room to chance. If you don’t do your homework, what will give you that edge in the interview? If you don’t research the job’s key challenges, the main difficulties the company is facing, if you don’t know who they work with, what their objectives are or what they need, there’s no way you’ll be able to convince them that you can make a positive contribution.
Not only that, but the more you know about the company, their situation and circumstances, the more you’ll be able to speak their language and tailor your message.
Here are the key questions that’ll make the difference and help you stand out from other candidates:
- Do you know exactly what the recruiter is looking for?
- Are you able to convey your story in a way that resonates and convinces them you are the perfect person for the job?
- Do you have a contact inside the company?
Three questions that you should be able to answer positively and that make up 80% of your chances of landing the job. And yet, 99% of candidates don’t do their homework, and turn up at the interview leaving their fate to chance.
Don’t let it happen to you!
- What’s the recruiter looking for?
Yes, we may have a romantic view of the job, “I want to contribute and maximise my potential and capacity for learning and growth in an environment which allows me to grow as a professional and as a person…” and blah, blah, blah. But think about that subtle detail that makes ALL the difference: as I said before, what’s the recruiter looking for?
The job interview is about what the recruiter needs.
Something is bothering them, bugging them, they have an itch and they need to know if you have the medicine or remedy to fix it and if you know how to administer it. That’s it! If you don’t know what they need or what problem they need solving, how can you know if you’re the right person for the job? And what’s worse, how can you convince them?
- How can you tell your story and show that you’re the right candidate for the job?
There’s an acronym used constantly in companies that you probably already know: ROI. It stands for “Return on Investment”, the benefits you get by investing.
When you realise you have to show them that they’ll get ROI by recruiting you, you’ll have taken “a small step for man, but a giant leap for …” your career 😉 . Setting out your campaign in terms of ROI is probably one of the most efficient ways of persuading the recruiter that you’re the right person for the job.
If you have experience relevant to the job, show the recruiter (SHOW, don’t tell) how you’re going to solve their problems. How do you show it? With your past results! SPECIFIC details of how you solved similar problems for others. Specific means giving numbers, comparisons, MEASURABLE results.
- How do you manage your contacts?
If you’re sending CV after CV you’ve already failed. Successful people invest time choosing what companies they want to work for before sending a single CV. They then try and get contacts in those companies through different networking strategies, so when the time comes to send the CV, they’ve already maximised their chances of getting the job.
Compare this with people who send out lots of CVs from the start, to all the job seeking websites and every company, hoping for a lucky break. It may seem productive, but when MILLIONS of other people are doing the same thing and it’s not working for them, it’s time to change strategy, don’t you think?
Trust me. Do all this and you’ll be way ahead of the other candidates.