Be Easy To Hire: How To Be The Best Candidate For The Job Opportunity

I knew something had happened when my attitude changed from aloof and non-committal to anxiously hopeful – ready and willing to say anything to make us (i.e. my team) seem more attractive to the candidate we had just interviewed. We had spoken to six people. All were pre-qualified by the recruiters and met our hiring criteria. However, one stood out from the group. She wasn’t overqualified for the job, but she brought a perspective on our client and a set of financial and marketing skills that we hadn’t even dreamed of asking for. We offered her the job and she accepted. More than 10 years later, she has risen to become a senior manager and has added tremendous value to the organization.

Whether we hire a permanent employee or a freelancer, employers face a number of problems when hiring. These problems can be summarised as the fear of making an unsightly and costly mistake. What we often forget when we are looking for a job is that the employer is also nervous. He is about to make quite a big financial and organizational commitment with a limited amount of information. This is risky.

To minimize the risk, smart employers try to get as much information as possible upfront. This includes trying to get a sense of how each candidate would fit into the team and benefit the company.

As a job candidate, you can use this knowledge to your advantage. You can help reduce your potential employer’s anxiety and increase their confidence while making yourself the only person for the job. Here’s how:

1.Tick the right boxes.

Professional competence is required just to get through the door. To be considered, you have to prove that you meet the minimum requirements for the job. But this screening usually takes place before the interview is even scheduled. Your CV and LinkedIn profile should clearly match the required skills.

2 . Have an industry perspective – or a technical perspective.

Know the unique angle you want to sell before you get to the interview. If you are coming from another job in the same industry, bring an overarching perspective on challenges and opportunities, changes in technology, or in-demand skills in the future. Thomas Koulopoulos shared the top 5 trends for 2016 that are still very relevant and worth knowing and incorporating into your interview when appropriate. Another example: If you are leaving one large consulting firm and moving to another, you should have an informed opinion on the trends you have seen among corporate clients. What kind of new services are they looking for? Is the trend to pay more or less for certain services?

3. Offer 1 or 2 additional skills.

Your basic technical skills are probably what got you the interview in the first place. If you can steer the conversation, try to focus on how 1 or 2 additional skills you have can complement and enhance the basic requirements. If you are a strong writer and are applying for a developer position, you may not have highlighted these skills on your resume, but know that the product manager would be very interested. According to “Eight Career Skills You Need To Be Competitive In 2016” in Fast Company, building diverse teams and cultural competency are also very attractive to employers. In response to the interviewer’s questions, weave in examples of how you would incorporate these skills into your work there.

4. Bring your enthusiasm with you.

Be excited about the possibilities and let that shine through during your time with each person you meet in the company. Even if you end up deciding against an offer that comes later because it doesn’t fit, you can be enthusiastic at that moment. You don’t want people in a panel discussion after the interview wondering if you were actually interested in them.

If you are able to differentiate yourself in an interview, you are not only the best candidate but also the only candidate. This way you solve two problems – one for the employer and one for yourself. Because by making the recruiter’s job easier, you are more likely to receive an offer. You have successfully demonstrated that you meet the criteria, have a unique perspective, offer additional skills, and would bring energy and enthusiasm to the job. By doing this for the employer, you also increase your chances of standing out and being selected – as the only one for the job.

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