Putting Great Distance Between Yourself & the Other Candidates
Just the other day I met with a job seeker to do some resume coaching. What occurred prior to his arriving for our scheduled breakfast meeting was a great example of what today’s job seekers can do to really distance themselves from other candidates.
Since the morning restaurant patrons had not yet begun to arrive, I had the opportunity to chat a bit with our server. I have been to this establishment on many occasions and noticed that this particular individual seems to be a customer favorite.
She inquired regarding the party who was to meet with me and asked if I was going to do an interview (I had the job seeker’s resume out on the table and was making on it some additional notes for myself). When I responded that we were meeting to do some resume & job search coaching, the server said she had a unique story about landing the job with the restaurant.
During her interview with the restaurant owner, the server provided to him a sheet of paper containing a list of names for about a dozen couples. Upon presenting this document to her interviewer, the server stated, “By the way, this is a list of my best clients from my previous server’s job. They are all coming here for dinner tomorrow night and expect to have me waiting on their tables. These are very loyal clients…you would not want to disappoint them, would you?”
Result – she got the position and was there to greet her loyal clients the next evening.
Now…that is a “wow”..! How many of the other candidates for this server’s position do you think did anything even close to that..? You’re correct – NONE.
Whether you are trying to sell your house, a car or just about anything else, the challenge to the seller is always to make what they are selling the best choice for the buyer, so that their house, car or whatever is the “the one” selected.
Job seekers have the same challenge. They are competing against what is normally many hundreds of other candidates…all basically “selling” the same set of skills, talents and experiences to the “buyer” (hiring manager). In this sea of talent, how can someone significantly differentiate themselves?
I’ve written previously that the keys to creating a lot of distance between you and the other candidates are as follows:
• Customization of the resume/interview discussion to each job opportunity being sought
• “Key Achievement” bullet points on your resume that clearly demonstrate how you have applied each of the skills being sought by the hiring manager – within the context of the duties and responsibilities of positions held with former employers – to create exceptional, “wow me” results
• Providing specific examples of exceptional successes to the interviewer(s), delivered with a high degree of self-confidence, poise and professionalism
Easy – No…if it were, then everyone would be considered an “ideal” candidate.
Doable – Absolutely..!!
Here is another example of someone who was able to put a Grand Canyon sized gap between himself and all of the other candidates.
“Dan” was a Tool & Die Maker, whose employer advised his workers that the company might not be able to stay in business for the balance of the year. Rather than wait for the inevitable, Dan did some networking, got introduced to me and asked if I would help him with his resume.
The initial resume Dan presented looked like the position description from his then current job (it was boring to read and underwhelming at best). When I advised him that he needed to incorporate the S.T.A.R. methodology (See “Telling Your Story Effectively During an Interview”) when writing his bullet points, Dan informed me that he “did not have any of that ‘STAR’ stuff…I just do my job and make machine parts”. I asked Dan to remember at least one accomplishment during his working career about which he was very proud, and he told me the following story:
Near quitting time on a Friday evening, the owner of Dan’s company walked into the shop with their best customer (let’s call him, “Mike”). The owner announced that Mike’s company needed some very specialized gears/parts made to get one of their big machines back on-line…and thus, needed the work completed ASAP. The owner asked who would be willing to stay and work on this job for Mike. Dan said a number of the workers quickly made excuses regarding why they could not stay to do the work…then he raised his hand and offered to make the parts.
Dan spent the next twenty-three hours producing the highly specialized parts (Mike stayed at the shop w/Dan during this entire period and ran out every now and then to get him something to eat).
A couple weeks later, the company owner asked Dan to come into his office and advised him that Mike had called and was extremely happy as a result of the effort put forth to complete his rush job. Dan was also informed by the owner that the next time Mike was in town, Dan was going to be given the company credit card so that he could take him out to dinner. The owner told Dan that Mike was so impressed w/Dan’s willingness to stay and work so many extra hours to complete the special project that he was going to refer more business to them.
At this point, I was sitting back in my chair thinking, “How many Tool & Die guys would do something like this?” and asked, “Dan, why is that story not included in your resume?” Dan replied, “Because I didn’t think it was important”.
Believe it or not…I run into this same, “I don’t have any of those ‘STAR’ stories to put in my resume” pushback from many of job seekers with whom I meet. And yet, when prompted, they ALL wind up telling me “Dan” stories of their own.
Do you want to put a large distance between yourself and the other candidates for the jobs you seek? Use the resume and dialog during the interview to “wow” the hiring manager, interviewer or HR screener with unique success stories about your accomplishments…and why your accomplishments differentiate you from other candidates being considered. Or, like the server I met, make such a strong, positive, “no other candidate has ever thought to do this” type of impression that the hiring manager has no choice but to offer you the position.
By the way…During the first interview after revising his resume, Dan was offered the new job he was seeking. The hiring manager (the company’s owner) asked him, “Did you really do all of this stuff?” When Dan answered, “Yes” and then followed up with two more “Dan" stories, the owner stated, “I’ve never met a Tool & Die Maker who had a resume like yours or that has accomplished what you have done…I’m not letting you out of my office until you agree to work for me.” Dan has been at the new company for almost two years now…making more money that he’s ever made before in his 25-year career.
What are your “Dan” stories..?
Since the morning restaurant patrons had not yet begun to arrive, I had the opportunity to chat a bit with our server. I have been to this establishment on many occasions and noticed that this particular individual seems to be a customer favorite.
She inquired regarding the party who was to meet with me and asked if I was going to do an interview (I had the job seeker’s resume out on the table and was making on it some additional notes for myself). When I responded that we were meeting to do some resume & job search coaching, the server said she had a unique story about landing the job with the restaurant.
During her interview with the restaurant owner, the server provided to him a sheet of paper containing a list of names for about a dozen couples. Upon presenting this document to her interviewer, the server stated, “By the way, this is a list of my best clients from my previous server’s job. They are all coming here for dinner tomorrow night and expect to have me waiting on their tables. These are very loyal clients…you would not want to disappoint them, would you?”
Result – she got the position and was there to greet her loyal clients the next evening.
Now…that is a “wow”..! How many of the other candidates for this server’s position do you think did anything even close to that..? You’re correct – NONE.
Whether you are trying to sell your house, a car or just about anything else, the challenge to the seller is always to make what they are selling the best choice for the buyer, so that their house, car or whatever is the “the one” selected.
Job seekers have the same challenge. They are competing against what is normally many hundreds of other candidates…all basically “selling” the same set of skills, talents and experiences to the “buyer” (hiring manager). In this sea of talent, how can someone significantly differentiate themselves?
I’ve written previously that the keys to creating a lot of distance between you and the other candidates are as follows:
• Customization of the resume/interview discussion to each job opportunity being sought
• “Key Achievement” bullet points on your resume that clearly demonstrate how you have applied each of the skills being sought by the hiring manager – within the context of the duties and responsibilities of positions held with former employers – to create exceptional, “wow me” results
• Providing specific examples of exceptional successes to the interviewer(s), delivered with a high degree of self-confidence, poise and professionalism
Easy – No…if it were, then everyone would be considered an “ideal” candidate.
Doable – Absolutely..!!
Here is another example of someone who was able to put a Grand Canyon sized gap between himself and all of the other candidates.
“Dan” was a Tool & Die Maker, whose employer advised his workers that the company might not be able to stay in business for the balance of the year. Rather than wait for the inevitable, Dan did some networking, got introduced to me and asked if I would help him with his resume.
The initial resume Dan presented looked like the position description from his then current job (it was boring to read and underwhelming at best). When I advised him that he needed to incorporate the S.T.A.R. methodology (See “Telling Your Story Effectively During an Interview”) when writing his bullet points, Dan informed me that he “did not have any of that ‘STAR’ stuff…I just do my job and make machine parts”. I asked Dan to remember at least one accomplishment during his working career about which he was very proud, and he told me the following story:
Near quitting time on a Friday evening, the owner of Dan’s company walked into the shop with their best customer (let’s call him, “Mike”). The owner announced that Mike’s company needed some very specialized gears/parts made to get one of their big machines back on-line…and thus, needed the work completed ASAP. The owner asked who would be willing to stay and work on this job for Mike. Dan said a number of the workers quickly made excuses regarding why they could not stay to do the work…then he raised his hand and offered to make the parts.
Dan spent the next twenty-three hours producing the highly specialized parts (Mike stayed at the shop w/Dan during this entire period and ran out every now and then to get him something to eat).
A couple weeks later, the company owner asked Dan to come into his office and advised him that Mike had called and was extremely happy as a result of the effort put forth to complete his rush job. Dan was also informed by the owner that the next time Mike was in town, Dan was going to be given the company credit card so that he could take him out to dinner. The owner told Dan that Mike was so impressed w/Dan’s willingness to stay and work so many extra hours to complete the special project that he was going to refer more business to them.
At this point, I was sitting back in my chair thinking, “How many Tool & Die guys would do something like this?” and asked, “Dan, why is that story not included in your resume?” Dan replied, “Because I didn’t think it was important”.
Believe it or not…I run into this same, “I don’t have any of those ‘STAR’ stories to put in my resume” pushback from many of job seekers with whom I meet. And yet, when prompted, they ALL wind up telling me “Dan” stories of their own.
Do you want to put a large distance between yourself and the other candidates for the jobs you seek? Use the resume and dialog during the interview to “wow” the hiring manager, interviewer or HR screener with unique success stories about your accomplishments…and why your accomplishments differentiate you from other candidates being considered. Or, like the server I met, make such a strong, positive, “no other candidate has ever thought to do this” type of impression that the hiring manager has no choice but to offer you the position.
By the way…During the first interview after revising his resume, Dan was offered the new job he was seeking. The hiring manager (the company’s owner) asked him, “Did you really do all of this stuff?” When Dan answered, “Yes” and then followed up with two more “Dan" stories, the owner stated, “I’ve never met a Tool & Die Maker who had a resume like yours or that has accomplished what you have done…I’m not letting you out of my office until you agree to work for me.” Dan has been at the new company for almost two years now…making more money that he’s ever made before in his 25-year career.
What are your “Dan” stories..?
Comments
Post a Comment