Receiving the call for an interview is only an initial step in the hiring process. The first call generally signals that the skills listed on your resume fit the requirements for the job. Securing an interview means a staffing recruiter or employer is looking to see how your personality and presence mesh with the desired skill sets and company environment. Getting a call means it’s now your opportunity to draw attention not only to the desired skill set but to also show what you uniquely bring to the job role.
Drawing a Framework
Keep in mind, when you receive a phone call from a recruiter or attend an in-person interview, the recruiter already has some observations about you as a potential candidate. These elements can include the writing on your resume and cover letter, the extracurricular activities you take part in outside of work, as well as the pictures and posts you attach to your social media channels on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn. Once you are in front of a hiring manager it’s up to you to grab attention by emphasizing your skills, achievements and accomplishments. This is an opportunity to explain why you are qualified for the job and why the job interests you. Merely having the skills is not enough to convey your enthusiasm for a position.
Creating a Dialogue
A recent Inc. article by Dr. Sylvia Lafair, president of Creative Energy Options, shared the concept of Power Sentences as a way to create dialogue in a hiring scenario. Lafair’s Power Sentences provide a way to explore why you find a job position interesting, ways you could help the company find success in the future, and how to clearly demonstrate your excitement and curiosity about a job role.
Examples of Power Sentences
- I am excited about this position because…
- This role provides a great opportunity to re-visit the skills I learned in my prior role as…
- I believe I can help the company through this role using my strengths in…
- I would like to work for this company in this role because…
As you can see, the fill-in-the-blank opportunities to explore these questions with a hiring manager are virtually unlimited. In doing this, you might find yourself wondering how much self-promotion is too much. While few people enjoy hearing empty boasting, these kind of statements are reasonable when and if you can back them up with truthful and accurate responses. There’s nothing wrong with highlighting your talents in a way that truthfully demonstrates your contributions, particularly when they could benefit a business.
The Benefits of Sharing
As the workplace continues to change and evolve, it is important that job candidates are able to view individual contributions from the larger perspective of a community. By contributing to endeavors that are bigger than oneself, there’s the opportunity to find greater meaning in each project and offering, making it much more than just a job.
This article is brought to you by Staffing Kansas City, a full-service Kansas City employment agency that provides contract-to-hire, direct hire and temporary employment placement services.
