Some people believe that the best way to present their expertise in a resume is to demonstrate a very broad-based set of experiences in different jobs, functions, or responsibilities. What they may not understand is that hiring organizations are looking for candidates who have specific skills, along with very specific RESULTS, that parallel the position description of a specific job. So if your resume shows your experiences are broad but not very deep, you’ll be at a distinct disadvantage in the marketplace. Why would a hiring manager interview and hire a candidate who doesn’t fit the specifications of the job they need done?
The three questions that a hiring manager will ask themselves as they interview you are:
- Does this candidate have the specific experiences that I need in the short and long term?
- Does this candidate have similar results from another company that can be transferred successfully here into my organization?
- Will this candidate be compatible with the working group already in place and fit the culture, or will they be disruptive and not be a “team” player
So how do you become a finalist candidate? How do you go “all in”?
- Being “all In” when applying to an open position means you focus on the key elements of the position description and target the specific results that the organization needs
- Highlight your experiences and contributions that demonstrate your competence and ability to reach the goals and objectives of the job to be filled. Underscore measureable results.
- Emphasize your “team work” attitude and ability to “fit in” with an ongoing group
What do you need to do to accomplish a successful “all in” strategy? These are the steps to increase your potential for being a finalist candidate:
- Analyze the position description of the job you are looking to fill. Summarize, and then compress the key items into 4 or 5 primary and essential responsibilities. These are the key tasks and measurable results for which the organization is looking.
- Take each of the key tasks and measurable results required and match them with a key result in your own past experience. Find a comparable equivalent of experience so the hiring agent sees a parallel of what he or she needs in a top candidate and your background.
- Quantify the results you’ve achieved in those key result areas. Others may say they have experiences but be unable to corroborate their achievements. You, on the other hand, must validate your results in a measureable way to be the finalist candidate.
- Compose a 20 to 30 second response to each of the key responsibilities when asked by the interviewer, “How did you achieve that result”. Tell them what the issue was, what action you took, and what was the outcome.
An “all in” strategy means preparing for the ideal job you want. If you’re not prepared for going “all in”, you’ll fall short.
For a FREE review of your resume, send it to: wkaufmann44@gmail.com