Want to Work For Me?

I've hired a few people in my career. And that means there was, for each hire, some type of selection process, a means of determining the right person for the job. I would suspect that where you work, or want to work, there is such a process.

And generally speaking, the process goes something like this. The vacancy or opening is announced. You find out about it. You read something online about minimum qualifications. You update your resume and complete an application, and submit it all for review.

Once you submit your application and resume, you may think that it is all out of your hands. Some faceless person or group of persons reviews all the applications, interviews those they want to, and somebody eventually gets hired.

But you may have more influence on the selection process than you think.

Before I get into what that influence is and how to use it, there is something important you should know. Having observed and participated in many selection processes, and successfully mentored many people that "got the job," here is one fundamental truth that I have learned. Don't miss this one. Ready?

Your primary objective in updating your resume and submitting the application is not getting the job. Your primary purpose at this point is getting interviewed. You may now be thinking they let this guy have a blog?, but I'll now tell you why I see this to be true.

Generally speaking, only those candidates that meet the minimum qualifications get considered for interview, and it is possible that only a few of those that are considered are actually interviewed. So what does this mean for you?

If my primary objective argument is valid, and I believe it is, you should be focusing with great clarity on why you should be considered for interview. And if the selecting person or persons follow the general process I laid out earlier, then it is your job to help them easily see why you meet the minimum qualifications. What? How do I do that?

Before I go on, this would be a good place for a disclaimer:

The views represented here are entirely those of the author, and not his past, present, or future employers. In addition, readers may use the guidance offered here at their own discretion and risk. Although the author wants you to get that next big job or promotion, he assumes no personal liability for whether or not you actually do.

OK. Still with me? Then put yourself in the place of the person, or persons, actually reviewing the stack of applications and resumes submitted for big job. How do you expedite the review to determine who should get interviewed?

Employing (pardon the pun) Dr Covey's second habit, let's begin with the end in mind.

Picture the desk of a manager performing the review of all those applications. He or she is done. There are two stacks of paper. One stack includes those that meet the minimum qualifications, and will likely be interviewed. The other stack represents those applicants that will, if they are lucky, receive a we're sorry, but you did not get the job letter. How do you better your chances of getting in the first stack?

Here is the answer. Do your job to get the interview. In your cover letter, or on a separate sheet of paper, document the minimum qualifications for the position, and how you meet each one. Be simple and concise. No paragraphs please.

How will this help? I can't tell you how many times I worked very late trying to determine which applicants to take to the next level, the interview. And while this would seem rather simple, it is quite often complicated by these words--see resume. What? You want the job, but you want me to take my time to review your five-page resume to determine if you meet all those minimum qualification requirements?

You must really want the job.

Doing this extra work does at least two very valuable things in this process. First, it helps you be honest with yourself. Comparing your specific qualifications to the minimum requires tells you (be honest with yourself) if you have a real chance. Second, and most importantly, it makes it far easier for the selecting person(s) to determine which stack to put your application in.

What was the primary objective again?

I hope this helps you on your next application.

I hope this helps selecting managers everywhere.

We'll talk about the interview process in a future post.

Feedback always welcome.