Searching for Work—Beyond Resumes and Networking

Bringing a job search to a successful conclusion requires much more than having a well thought out resume and developing an effective network of contacts. It requires the ability to locate work opportunities that interest you, and then having the talent to convince the employer that you are the right fit.

Determining what work really interests you and convincing the hiring manager that you are not only qualified to perform the work, but that you have the talent to contribute to the success of the organization is the key to a successful search. My experience as a recruiter has taught me that too few candidates are prepared to address these issues. It seems to me that determining the work that really interests you, preparing yourself to competently perform that work, and selling your capabilities are components of a successful search that too few job seekers are willing to undertake. Being interesting requires the understanding that you are human. The willingness to share information about yourself, your strengths, and weaknesses is a challenge few people are willing to tackle.

The ability to express a passion for your work in a convincing way makes for an interesting conversation and an interesting interview. Candidates who are qualified and interesting get offers of employment! I recall numerous instances where candidates with a less than ideal resumes convinced me that they were the best qualified candidate, because they had a compelling story to tell.

This point was driven home to me in reading a recent New York Times article about an interview with Tony Hsieh, C.E.O. of Zappos.com. Here is the answer he gave to a question about the questions he would ask in hiring a senior executive—“I’m not sure there’s that much you can get out of the in-office interview. They need the relevant skill set and experience and so on. But far more important is, are they going to be good for the culture?”

Probably the most interesting question asked was about the one or two questions he would ask to get a sense of a person. Hsieh responded, “If you had to name something, what would you say is the biggest misperception that people have of you? Then the follow-up I usually ask is, What’s the difference between misperception and perception? After all, perception is perception.”

Hsieh went on to say about what he was trying to discover with these questions, “I think it’s a combination of how self-aware and how honest people are. I think if someone is self-aware, they can always continue to grow. If they’re not self-aware, I think it’s harder for them to evolve or adapt beyond who they already are.”

The ability to share with others who you really are takes courage, confidence, and maturity. The people who will get the first crack at opportunities as they emerge will possess these abilities.