Many professionals search for opportunities and then
interview but do not close the deal.
They often wonder what they could have done to improve their chance of
getting an offer. As I stated in “3 Tips for Interview Success Article” if you are positive/happy, mention relevant
experiences and seem to be a cultural fit for the company then you have an
excellent chance of landing the job. Although those points are still valid I want
to dig deeper on the second point – mention relevant experiences – as this is
an area I find people have a hard time addressing.
Simply stated when an employer is asking about past
experiences in addition to hearing about the steps you took to complete a
significant event they are also very interested in learning about the result. As an applicant your job is to discuss
experiences where you have had a tangible impact. Below is a list of 3 steps to manage this
process:
1. Sit down and write out a list of 10
accomplishments/successes achieved at your current or last job; when doing this
be as detailed as possible and explain every step taken to achieve
success. Although I only mentioned your
current or last job it is just an important to do this process for all
experiences. If you do this you will
better understand your professional profile and your career/personal
brand.
2. Rank the accomplishments based on your estimation
of their impact on the organization; this can be determined by the budget, who
was involved (i.e. Vice Presidents, manger, CEO) or training received.
3. Quantify the value of each accomplishment to the organization. Common benchmarks include man hours saved, dollars generated/saved or efficiency gained.
Although the main point of this exercise is to
ensure you have all the tools needed to ace the interview and get an offer, I
feel strongly that this will not only help you get an offer but also help you
understand your overall strengths and weaknesses. In addition to this article read “5 tips for a successful job search” to make sure you have all your bases covered.
Now Go Get Em’
recruiterMikeC
recruiterMikeC's Recommendations. I have personally read each book listed and all items are Amazon Best Sellers.
1. "Headhunter" Hiring Secrets: The Rules of the Hiring Game Have Changed . . . Forever!
2. The Power Formula for Linkedin Success: Kick-start Your Business, Brand, and Job Search
3. See You At The Top: 25th Anniversary Edition
4. Kindle Fire, Full Color 7" Multi-touch Display, Wi-Fi
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