Why You Didn’t Get the Job – Really
You interviewed for the perfect position. It was a perfect fit for you. You presented all of your qualifications in great detail. You told illuminating anecdotes that documented your achievements. You may even be the greatest candidate to have ever crossed their threshold. Yet you didn’t get the job. Why? The answer is simple – because it’s not about you. I know this sounds cold, but read on.
Companies don’t hire people because they need jobs or because they have compelling resumes. People get hired because the company believes they can solve a problem. Successful candidates use the interview process to position themselves as the best solution to the hiring manager’s problem. How do they do that?
Successful candidates use the limited amount of time available in the interview process to focus on the things that are of highest importance to the company. They keep their answers brief and follow them up with qualifying questions to make sure they ferret out the hiring manager’s problem, and then position themselves as the solution to that problem. Rather than going into a ten minute monologue in answer to the usual interview opener, “Tell me about yourself,” the successful candidate will answer with a brief summary of their background, followed by a qualifying question – something like, “Can you tell me a little more about what you’re trying to accomplish with this position? I’d like to focus my answers on the aspects of my background that matter most to you.” Using this approach throughout the interview sets the stage for an effective exchange that benefits you both. You’ll walk away with a much clearer understanding of the role and its challenges, and the company will have a much clearer understanding of the specific benefits to them of hiring you.
When I explain this concept to people involved in sales, it’s an immediate “Aha!” moment. Sales reps don’t walk into a customer’s office and begin reciting all the features and specifications of their product . They spend some time qualifying so they can understand what the customer is trying to accomplish, and present a solution that solves the problem. The interview process is the exactly the same, except that your skills and abilities are the product. Solve the problem, close the deal.
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Debbie,
the analogy of a sales call to the interview process is a good one and I’ll keep that in mind. Yes, the ideal candidate knows how to solve the customer’s (company’s) problem best. Incredibly difficult for many people who were not raised as natural “salespeople”.
I agree that it can be challenging for those who don’t have a sales orientation. On the flip side, however, everyone has some problems solving experience. I’ve seen even the most reticent of candidates come alive in an interview when engaged in a substantive discussion about issues / problems / solutions in their field of expertise.