Our
candidates AND clients hear this all the time.
You can use this idea in a lot of circumstances, but in this context it’s
most relevant in Interview
preparation and Resume writing.
Let’s
take the Resume for example, from a
candidate’s point of view. I never recommend having an ‘Objective’
on a resume. Why? Because the reader (your potential boss)
simply doesn’t care about your objective, he cares about his own
objective - “Can you solve the problem I have?” A well
written resume, from a strong candidate, shows a range of examples of
achievement which could be recreated for a new employer. Does your resume just show that you know stuff,
or does it show that you solve problems for other people?
In an Interview setting, a very powerful strategy is to
answer a ‘meaty’ question by telling a story.
Short. Complete. Detailed.
At the end of this story, wrap up by creating dialogue with the
interviewer by inviting her to comment -
“Did that answer your question?” “Is
that similar to the objectives you’d like to tackle first?” What
we’ve done here is to emphasize some of the focus on the Interviewer and her
company’s objectives, instead of just playing verbal ping-pong and keeping the
focus solely on you! Are you telling
stories that they can relate to?
Let’s
try this from a hiring company’s point of view –
Sure, you’ve got an open position, and in an era of high unemployment,
there must be a million people who want it, right? Guess what.
It’s not about you, dude. It’s
about them. If you just want a warm
body, keep the focus solely on yourself.
If you expect to hire someone really good – an A-Player – you’ve got to
focus on them too! Here’s
a strategy that can get your candidates more engaged: About halfway through the interview, let the conversation
soften a bit, and ask the candidate a telling and powerful question - “If you
were to accept this position and start working here, what’s in it for you
personally and professionally?” Then
sit back, be quiet, and use good active listening skills. This is where you’re going to get the most
valuable information of the entire session!
Asking a
human being to trade their time and effort for money and benefits is partly
transactional, and very very personal. Make sure you’re addressing both parts.
Now go
change your vector!
Eric
www.myersgroupinc.com