Make sure you start with a clear, concise attention getting resume, a great updated LinkedIn profile with good recommendations on it.
Make connections with recruiters in the industry; but don’t expect them to do all of the work for you. As I have mentioned over and over… network! Do your homework, build your network. Make the effort to sell yourself in a unique way so that people will remember you. What are your distinguishing “features” and “benefits”, what are your qualifications that will benefit that recruiter, hiring manager and company? ALWAYS use examples from real life. This will add color and credibility to your conversations.
For example as a sales executive:
Feature – presentations skills
Benefit – you understand how to present material in persuasive and interesting a way to drive results, show examples of results
Feature – negotiation skills
Benefits – you know how to bring a sale to closure in a way that the buyer feels good and feels that they made a smart purchase for their station or company – give examples of tough negotiations that you have had success in closing
Feature – management skills
Benefits – your people love you, the team is a high performing team, and your staff gets promoted, you produce results for the company show numbers and growth give real life examples
Know yourself inside and out, understand how to make a case for the company you are interviewing with to want to hire you, because you will be an asset and a great employee who drives results for them!
ALSO, make sure you have a strong knowledge of the industry and the company you are interviewing with. The worst interviews are the people who come in unprepared. I am always amazed when an executive comes in unprepared. To me, that is unprofessional, and a clear sign that you are not really interested in the opportunity.
Do your research; get to know the company you are interested in from every perspective and every angle. Take the time to ask around about them, check out their website, their mission and vision, their products and how they position themselves in the market place.
“Google” the profiles of the people you will be interviewing with. Check out their LinkedIn profiles and make sure you know who they are and what they have done.
Listen to what they have to say and ask thoughtful, meaningful questions. Some employers think “out of the box” and will consider someone who is a good cultural fit with a lot of potential and some will not. It depends on a lot of things, resources to train, other skills in the department and on the team etc, etc.
If the job is not a perfect fit for your skills, try and figure out a way that you can overcome this objection in a thoughtful intelligent way. Most smart, seasoned professionals can learn new skills, but how you will do that in a new environment and area of the business is the question. It’s a must to think through this and know how to answer effectively.
If the employer is not open to this don’t push it, but it is worth exploring. If you have 80 percent of what they are looking for, come up with actionable and innovative ways to overcome the 20 percent that you may be lacking. This shows a willingness to learn and creativity which many employers will find attractive.
After the interview, send a thank you email within 24 hours AND hand written thank you notes within the week. Make your follow up respectful and courteous. Have patience with the process. If you have truly put your best foot forward and you’re a good skill set and chemistry/cultural fit for the company, the rest will fall into place and hopefully you will get the job!
Mary Olson-Menzel mary@mvpexec.com Managing Partner of MVP Executive Search & Development, 20+ years of experience working in corporate America and executive search consulting. She specializes in senior level recruitment across digital, print, broadcast and cable media.
Questions from our Readers
Answered by Mary Olson-Menzel
I have horrible handwriting, how much does that hurt me when filling out a job application?
It typically doesn’t hurt at all, unless the job requires “excellent handwriting”. Most people these days do so much on the computer that great handwriting is turning into a “lost art”anyway. As long as your handwriting is legible and neat, you should be fine. Its your skills and your chemistry fit with the company that you are interviewing with, that will ultimately be the decision maker.
I search the job sites and company career opportunities sites daily. How important is it to be one of the first responders, or can it work against me. Any strategy here?
Usually when you apply on line to a company, your resume gets loaded into a database where the internal recruiters can do “key word” searches to find the ideal candidates that they are looking at for a specific role. Being a “first responder” is always better – you never know how quickly the position will get filled and you don’t want to miss your window of opportunity.
Most of these searches as I mentioned are key word searches, so make sure your resume reflects the key skills listed in the position description or it won’t even be flagged at all.
Another thing that I would advise you to do is to look at who you are connected with in the company that you are applying to – through linkedin or through your own networks. Reach out to them immediately and see if they can get your resume in front of the recruiter and the hiring manager. This will set you apart from any on line ad that you answer. Use your connections!
Posted on: Cynopsis Media