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It May Be Time to Walk
in an Employer’s Shoes
If you are in a job search and aren’t receiving viable hits, it’s time to
walk a mile in an employer’s shoes. Okay, I realize what you may be
thinking. For just one day, you would like an employer to walk in your
shoes so they can be sympathetic to the stresses you are going through on
a daily basis. That makes sense, since what most of us want is to be
understood by others.
However, when I suggest you take the time to put yourself in the position
of an employer, that isn’t meant to minimize the realities and
responsibilities of your world. Your responsibilities sit across from you
at the dinner table every night and they miraculously appear in your
mailbox every month.
On the other hand, just as you would like to be understood, so do
employers. And though you don’t have control over an interviewer, you have
full control over what you decide to do during your job search.
A bad hire costs a company a lot of money, and they have their own
concerns. A fundamental way to get ahead in the job search is to
understand an employer’s perspective because their point of view is their
truth, and their truth dictates how they will react. It will serve you
well to understand what a bad hire costs a company.
Three Biggest Concerns of the Hiring Manager
1. We all have been there, working in a department where there is an
unproductive employee who insists on making waves; someone who has their
own agenda and refuses to play by the rules. Perhaps you are searching for
a job right now because of unbearable circumstances in your workplace.
This is precisely what hiring managers are afraid of: losing good workers
because of the actions of a bad employee. That cost is immeasurable.
2. A hiring manager puts his or her reputation on the line when choosing
to endorse a candidate. And that is exactly what a hiring manager is doing
when submitting a name for consideration. If they make a bad hiring
decision, their ability to make sound decisions is questioned.
3. An employee is a representative of a company and a bad hire can have an
adverse effect on relationships with vendors and/or customers. Employers
fear the loss of valuable relationships that can result from the actions
of an employee. Therefore, employers want to scrutinize the personality of
candidates before an offer is extended.
Ways to Alleviate a Hiring Manager’s Concern
BEFORE the Interview
• Research the hiring organization. I know. I know. You have read this
before. This isn’t new information. But it is worth repeating because
chances are that you have gone on interview after interview without
conducting research. Do your homework on the hiring organization and on
industry trends. This is the number one way to uncover a hiring
organization’s concerns.
• Don’t underestimate the power of your resume. Your resume can address
employers’ hidden concerns with ease, by speaking to your ability to
deliver results, work in a team environment, and lead others to achieve
organizational goals. The resume you submit to employers is one of the
most powerful tools you have full control over. Create the best
presentation you can.
• Be positive. Negativity is a deal killer. Let go of all that has gone
wrong in your job search. Attend each interview feeling confident about
your qualifications and what you can bring to the table.
Ways to Alleviate a Hiring Manager’s Concern DURING the Interview
• Meet concerns head on. Find out exactly what an employer is looking for
by simply asking one question during the interview. “Thinking back to the
last person who held this position, what were his or her strengths, and
what areas needed improvement?” Then listen to what the interviewer says
and connect your responses to the employer’s needs.
• Don’t act like a politician. One of the major complaints we have when it
comes to politicians is that they never answer the question posed by the
reporter, but rather they provide an answer that makes the point they want
to bring forward. And this exact quality is what most job seekers do in an
interview. Take the time to answer the questions the interviewer poses. If
you aren’t forthcoming, the interviewer is likely to conclude you are
attempting to hide something.
• Demonstrate interest. If you want to continue participating in the
interview process, ask the interviewer the following: “Ms. Rodriguez, I am
sincerely interested in the position and would like to participate in the
next round of interviews. What is the next step?”
Ways to Alleviate a Hiring Manager’s Concern
AFTER the Interview
• Send a thank-you note. Send a thank-you note to every person with whom
you interviewed and reconfirm your interest in working for the company. If
there was a topic of concern that you feel needs further discussion,
briefly tackle the topic in your missive.
• Follow up with a phone call. During the interview, ask the interviewer
if you can follow up in two weeks. Then make sure you do!
By Linda Matias
Visit her website at
www.careerstrides.com |
Writers
Profile
Certified in all
three areas of the job search – Certified Interview Coach ™ (CIC) Job &
Career Transition Coach (JCTC) and Nationally Certified Resume Writer (NCRW)
– Linda is qualified to assist you in your career transition. Whether it
be a complete career makeover, interview preparation or resume assistance.
You can contact Linda directly at linda@careerstrides.com or visit her
website www.careerstrides.com.
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