How to convince a hiring authority to choose you - Margaret Buj - Interview Coach

How to convince a hiring authority to choose you Finding a great job these days could be tough. Hiring Managers have smaller budgets and every job offer counts. When several people have an input into a hiring decision and executives focus on a significant ROI for new hires, Hiring Managers are cautious. A poor hiring decision would be felt for months, if not longer. If the Hiring Manager is indecisive, the interviewing and offer process can drag out for you, the job seeker. So how do you help a hiring manager get past any reservations and choose you? Be passionate and engaged. Various research and my personal experience in recruitment proves that candidates who show a genuine passion for the job tend to get the job over other applicants (you need to have the relevant skills of course, too!) The other key indicators for this are your “cultural fit,” personality, and style. Reduce their risk. Make sure you’re not a risky hire. Do a Google search on your name to learn what a hiring manager will see when he or she does the same. Review your profiles and shared content on social media sites like LinkedIn, Twitter, and Facebook. The Internet makes the hiring process more transparent, so your resume will never tell your entire story. Know in advance whether you’re a risky hire, and support your online brand with positive content. Penetrate the company in advance. Most candidates meet only those on the interview schedule and only on interview day. So penetrate the company before your interview. To penetrate means that you create awareness of your candidacy/unique skills with as many people as possible. Once everyone knows you (or knows of you), the risk in interviewing you and hiring you goes down. As a known commodity, you’ll have a head start on the “fit” question, because you’ll be able to better determine if and how you would succeed at the company. Plus, one of these people might offer a positive comment about you to someone on the interview team, which always helps your chances of landing the job. Lead with your best. First impressions are important, especially when it comes to whether you’re a good fit for a job. If you can’t connect with someone at the company before the interview, show your energy and deliver crisp answers. Be ready to tell great stories about your specific role at prior companies. When asked to “tell me about yourself,” provide information that illustrates strong and likable characteristics and provide some relevant examples of what you’ve done in your current job that would be relevant to the company you are interviewing with â€" something that shows how you’ve made positive impact. Make sure your referees are relevant and prepared. Your references matter to hiring managers and HR staff. Be sure your references are both aware of the coming phone call and willing to help you. Preparing your references will pay off when you get that solid recommendation the hiring manager is looking for. A hiring manager who truly believes in you, without reservations, will mentally chase you down the hallway as you depart. And that means he’ll fight for you when it comes to salary negotiation, too. Want the job offer? Give that boss or hiring manager or recruiter all the right reasons to hire you. _____________________________________________________________________ Margaret Buj is an interview and career acceleration coach who specializes in helping professionals get hired, promoted and paid more. If you want to find out how recruiters read resumes, why you’re not getting hired, how to sell yourself successfully in a job interview and how to negotiate your best salary yet, you can download her free “You’re HIRED!” video course.