So, let’s just say you have just put together an impeccable resume or created the ultimate cover letter that would impress Donald Trump, does that mean that your phone will be ringing off the hook with interview request? Or perhaps you have set up an interview with the CEO of Dream Jobs, Incorporated.
Let’s face it, we all know how much emphasis is placed on resumes, cover letters and starting salaries, but what good is it to you if you cannot prove that you are worthy of being granted an interview, much less an extended offer?
With 70% of the jobs available NOT being publicly advertised, a candidate has to do something beyond the norm if they are going to land their ideal job (or any decent one for that matter).
So based upon my research, here are 2 questions all candidates must answer if they are going to land a job in this new economy:
(1) WHAT ARE THE COMPANIES MAJOR CHALLENGES WITHIN THE LOCAL OFFICE?
If you are going to interview/work for a company, it should be mandatory that you are aware of:
(1) What does the company do.
(2) Why does the company do it.
(3)How the external clients are affected.
A candidate must understand that despite the way an economy goes, a company will always hire someone who can aid them in all 3 of these areas. It then becomes the responsibility of the candidate to find out what major challenges the company is having in all 3 of these areas. How do they do that? By reaching out to company leaders and representatives before you even apply to have those kind of conversations. Of course they will not release private information but they may give clues as to what challenges the company is facing at the moment. Setting up an informal interview with someone in the know at the company can go a long way here.
Another way is to research the company online to see what changes have occurred over the past 12 months that are significant enough to their bottom line. With Google+, LinkedIn, Facebook, etc. this should be fairly easy to gain access to the company’s environment.
(2) HOW CAN YOU HELP THEM SOLVE THEIR CHALLENGES?
This question will require that you really be honest with yourself. A complete and thorough analysis of the individuals skill/talent set is the only real way to answer this question. Are you good in sales? Are you good with acquiring funding? Can you design an inviting ad layout that would expose a product/service in such a way that new clients are attracted to it? What’s in your arsenal?
Gone are the days of the employee just showing up everyday for 40+ years to get a check. Passive employees are being weeded out by the hundreds in today’s economic environment. So are the clock watching, water cooler gossiping, security seeking ones too. Companies are seeking results, not complacency! Let’s face it, we are in a performance based environment that demands that performers are hired.
So the takeaway from this would be to abandon traditional job search methodologies and seek to be more strategic in a job search. In fact, it probably would not hurt to develop a written plan of action upon answering these two questions so that you are really prepared to land the job!
