How To Show Employers That You Fit The Job

The following post is courtesy of the Recruiting Blogswap:

From: Caroline Ceniza-Levine

One jobseeker asked:  If flexibility, versatility and cross-training are all the rage these days, why do recruiters seem to hold so firmly to the belief that a candidate must "fit the profile" exactly?

The above question is valid, and it demonstrates why boilerplate qualities with no substance or tangible metrics attached are meaningless.  In the above example, flexibility, versatility and cross-training are the boilerplate qualities.  Many job descriptions ask for these.  Therefore, these are not going to be the deciding factors; they’re a given.  Instead you need to find what makes that job unique, how that will be measured and appeal specifically to that.  When you do that, you fit the profile, and that’s what employers and recruiters want.

How does the position contribute to the bottom line?  Focus on that responsibility and give specific examples of when you did just that.  If these examples are in a different industry or functional context, explain explicitly how you would handle this in the industry/ function for which you are interviewing.

What are the management and reporting requirements of the position?  If you need to manage direct reports, give examples of when you managed direct reports.  If you need to report into different areas, give examples of when you worked cross-functionally.

What is the success culture of this company?  Do your homework to identify what personality traits are specifically valued for this company.  Then showcase how you have these traits, not the traits that every company says they want (work ethic, team spirit, flexibility, versatility, blah, blah, blah).

Many jobseekers position themselves so generically that they seem to be saying, “I fit any job.”  You want to demonstrate that you fit a specific job.  Specificity is the key to a successful job search.

Caroline Ceniza-Levine is co-founder of SixFigureStart, a career coaching firm that specializes in working with Gen Y young professionals.   Formerly in corporate HR and retained search, Caroline most recently headed campus recruiting for Time Inc and has also recruited for Accenture, Citibank, Disney ABC, and others.

Article courtesy of the Recruiting Blogswap, a content exchange service sponsored by CollegeRecruiter.com, a leading site for college students looking for internships and recent graduates searching for entry level jobs and other career opportunities.

Comments

[International Careers Blogger]

I'll have to add that job seekers should also focus on accomplishments to demonstrate what value they can bring on board. Making them the candidate that employers can't refuse.

[Bill Shambrook]

The key to success is to take control of the interview. If you simply sit and respond most often the parting comment is "Thanks for coming in we will be in touch". You will then sit at home waiting for the letter or call that never comes.

When dealing with HR (the screening interview) your objective is to not be disqualified.

Your mission when interviewing with the decision maker is to engage him or her in a discovery process where you discover together the most important qualifications, experiences and skill sets to meet the most important challenges and deliver the results required. You position yourself as the solution and highest value asset to meet those challenges.

You have three objectives... show with solid evidence that you are the best qualified; that you will fit in and work well within the organization; and that you are the least risky candidate. If you accomplish all three you will build the value necessary to eliminate all competition and get the best compensation package. You will also remove the key reason that other candidates, external or internal may win by making you the least risky candidate.

Bill Shambrook
www.careersuccessnet.com