The Ideal Hire
Make yourself irresistible to the corporate recruiter.
By Matt Krumrie
IT'S NOT SO DIFFICULT TO UNDERSTAND A HIRING MANAGER'S motivation in hiring one person over another. Simply put, they want the person they hire to fit the needs of the position, and be in tune with the goals of the company. They want to feel proud when introducing this new hire to their bosses or board members. They want to trust this person when introducing them to clients and vendors.
In other words, they want to hire the perfect candidate.
How can you, the job seeker, make yourself that ideal hire? By showing, not telling, the hiring manager, that’s how.
Show them that you have the right mix of technical and soft skills and the experience needed to get the job done. Know how to communicate the tangible and intangible skills on your résumé, and how to translate that into a successful interview. Understand how to network to find your next position and, finally, master the art of salary negotiation (be prepared and don’t sell yourself short). In other words, make yourself stand out from the crowd.
Technical skills Harry Chambers, author of Finding, Hiring and Keeping Peak Performers (Perseus Books, 2001), says there are two levels of technical skill. The first includes generalized technical abilities that deal with the technological demands of every job in today’s economy. Most job classifications or functions require at least minimal computer literacy. “Even non-technical positions require candidates to possess the technical proficiency to do the job and to adapt new technological skills as they become necessary,” says Chambers.
The second level includes specific technical abilities that are required to meet the demands of a specific job function; for example, testing procedures, operating equipment, calculating setups and tolerances, designing systems, and so on. “These are the fundamental skills required to do the job for which you are applying,” says Chambers. “Such skills are often learned through education and experience.”
Soft skills Some hiring managers firmly believe that soft skills cannot be taught. And they may be right. All the same, talents such as the ability to actively listen, resolve conflict, communicate effectively, problem solve, manage stress and establish effective workplace relationships are rising higher and higher on the list of recruiting priorities.
“Technical skills make you good; interactive soft skills, or people skills, make you great,” says Chambers. “Deficiencies in these skills are the weaknesses that cost people their jobs or promotion. Even people employed in technical positions are called upon to demonstrate effective interactive skills. For many managers and organizations, these are the most difficult skills to teach. Because of this, it is important that you demonstrate your proficiency during the interview process.”
Jay Scherer, partner with Scherer Schneider Paulick, LLC (SSP), a Chicago-based executive coaching and corporate outplacement firm, says that passion, treating others with respect, and the ability to listen and to take constructive criticism are indispensable. Soft skills also play heavily into the customer or client experience. Having the knack to inspire trust in clients and to give strong presentations are extremely lucrative skills in today’s marketplace.
Length of stay Past experience is everything, says Elizabeth Laukka, a national recruiter for Wells Fargo Home Mortgage. College degrees, accreditations, associations—these are only peripherally important. Past experience and the length of time spent in previous positions “gives context to what type of company you came from, and what you can handle from a volume, pace, culture and dollar standpoint,” she explains. It also speaks volumes about loyalty.
According to Laukka, the optimal length of time spent in any one position is usually anywhere between two and five years. She adds that it’s okay to have some shorter and longer tenures with different companies, as long as there is good reason for them. The most important thing is that a potential recruiter sees some progression and upward mobility—a measurable level of increased learning, responsibility and performance. If you’ve been with an organization for a long period of time, it’s especially important to demonstrate fluidity, rather than stagnation. “People want to hire people who have a track record of success and achievement,” says Chambers.
Networking for leads The average person knows at least 250 people on a first-name basis, says Kevin Donlin, president of Edina, Minn.-based Guaranteed Resumes. That’s a lot of people you could be networking with. But the real value of your network is not in who you know, but in who they know. Because if each of your 250 people knows 250 people, that’s 62,500 people—almost enough to sell out Soldier Field for a Chicago Bears game.
“When people tell me, ‘I tried networking, it didn’t work, and I didn’t get any good job leads,’” says Donlin, “That’s like saying, ‘I tried skiing once. It didn’t work. I kept falling down the mountain.’ My response is, ‘If networking didn’t produce job leads for you, you were doing it wrong.’”
To make networking work, you must first serve as a resource and pass along valuable tips, news items and industry insights. Act like a “matchmaker” and connect people you know who might do business deals or share information. When you help their careers, they’ll help yours.
“Never ask, ‘Do you know anyone who’s hiring?’ Say, ‘Who do you know who needs to save more than $225,000 a year in their finances?’ That’s what I’ve done for the last three years as a financial manager for a high-tech company,” Donlin explains.
“Again, it’s up to you to figure out your value, then communicate it to others,” he continues. “You’re not bragging; you’re engaging in career survival.”
The interview This is the time to sell yourself. Provide anecdotes, use results, show proof of performance and, most importantly, don’t be timid. There is no room for modesty when it comes to the interview (well, to an extent).
“Don’t be afraid to tout your accomplishments,” says Laukka. Listen well. Watch for non-verbal cues from the hiring manager or recruiter—and always be yourself.
Chambers suggests preplanning your presentation. Even if the interviewer doesn’t ask you about your most exceptional qualities, you have to be prepared to get them into the conversation. Much like you would conduct an interview with a media person, you have to focus on the message and know the essential information you want to deliver.
“Remember, the employer wants to hire someone for the long haul; and not have to go through this again in six months,” says Carole Martin, author of Interview Fitness Training (Interview Publishing, 2001). “Make sure that your goals—short and long term—are defined so that you sound like you are going to stick around for a while.”
The salary negotiation Joan Runnheim, president of Pathways Career Success Strategies, sees it all the time: Candidates have a great résumé and a knockout interview, but they clam up when it comes time to negotiate their salary. This is probably the only opportunity you’ll have to fight for what you feel you are worth.
That’s why you have to do the work before negotiations begin. Determine your market value by researching similar positions on websites such as salary.com and www.careerjournal.com, reading the classifieds section for comparable positions, talking with professional peers, reading trade journals, and looking at industry-related websites.
Research will uncover your value based on your type of work, education level, skills and experience, says Runnheim. This is important information to aid you in your negotiation. The phrase, “If you don’t ask, you won’t get” definitely applies.
After you’ve completed your research, you need to determine your opening request. Starting at 10-percent above the expected figure gives you some room for negotiation. What credentials, skills and accomplishments justify your salary request? Be prepared to give examples of work and past results in quantifiable terms.
Come up with a list of possible objections to your request, and be prepared to counter them. Determine what other non-salary items you have to negotiate with (benefits and perks, etc.) and what combination of salary and benefits is the minimum you will accept.
“Of course, don’t be greedy,” says Runnheim. “You want a win-win situation where both you and the employer feel good about the outcome.”
“Always remember, once a hiring manager makes an offer, that’s when you have leverage to negotiate,” says Laukka. “If someone wants you, they usually are willing to negotiate. Always ask.”