CAREER MOVES: LEVERAGE WITH THE HIRING MANAGER

By Bill Kaufmann, President of My Greener Future

So far you have followed the “My Greener Future” strategies in GETTING HIRED that brings you to an interview with the hiring manager.  We have covered:

• An analysis and history of your results leading to a targeted direction
• A Career Map that defines where you need to be, when, to reach your goals
• Research “next step” opportunities into the marketplace
• A compelling resume to position your candidacy
• Effectively handling the initial telephone interview
• Using the “secret weapon” of the mini-pitch in your interviews

Now is the time to convert your effective mini-pitches into an engaging discussion with the hiring manager.  This conversion happens by shifting the emphasis from your positive results of the past, to potential successful strategies for the future.  This is accomplished by focusing on alternative solutions of issues within the open position for which you are interviewing.  Whoever can engage the hiring manager in discussing potential solutions to the issues of the organization, with alternatives and/or potential strategies, will usually win the job.

How do you accomplish that transition?  Connect the results and solutions you have experienced in similar past situations to the issues facing the hiring manager.  Here are a few steps:

1. During the interview, as you respond to questions using mini-pitches (the issue, the action, the results), the hiring manager will ask follow-up questions like, “How did customers respond?”, or “How long before results were achieved?”, or “How did you get senior management buy-in?”.  Whatever the question, it gives you insight as to the real issues of the hiring manager.  No question is irrelevant!  Any and all questions will be directly related to what the hiring manager is looking for in the “ideal” candidate.  You just have to listen.
2. Respond to the follow-up questions with insights of the process you went through that may be helpful to the hiring manager.  The “interview” will now evolve into a “discussion” of potential strategies.  Possible discussion items may include:
   1. Alternatives that were considered
   2. The pro’s and con’s of each alternative
   3. The implications if implemented
   4. The resources required and the cost/benefit analysis
   5. Tighten up the discussion of strategies to provide solutions to specific issues of the hiring manager.  You might want to say, “A number of these alternatives may be applied to your situation.  Would it be helpful for me to give you more details to those you find particularly attractive?”  If the answer is “yes”, you know you have made an impression.  Now is the time to shine.  Your supportive and consultative candidacy will rise to the top.

The reason a mini-pitch takes between 20 and 30 seconds is to allow time enough for the follow-up questions from the hiring manager.  If you assume your interview as a candidate will take about an hour or so, you need to make sure you have enough time at the end of the interview to begin the discussion about strategies to potentially resolve current issues.

An objective of the interview is to guide the discussion to your advantage. Your task is to link your answers to the hiring manager’s issues, so you are perceived as part of the solution.

Take control of your destiny.  Be a candidate rather an applicant.  Join us at My Greener Future.

Our website:  Mygreenerfuture.com

Email:  Mygreenerfuture1@cox.net