Three Things That Get You An Offer

Job descriptions are the way most companies try to attract the best people into their business. Yet they quite often fall short of their lofty goal. The written descriptions aren’t good marketing pieces and the information that’s provided is often insufficient. The usual process is someone from the hiring team outlines the basics and sends it on to HR with the note, “Here, this should be enough.”

Often the same generic phrases are used for the widest range of positions. The company is looking for someone who is “team-oriented;” they should have “related experience;” and one particular skill “is a plus.” Because these three phrases are used so frequently, candidates would be wise to consider ways in which they can demonstrate these skills. If you have these three things, you can get an offer.

The first requirement, being team-oriented, is what many people perceive to be a given. All candidates might think of themselves as team-oriented, yet those who are truly collaborative tend to speak about their tasks and accomplishments differently.

The language they use matters because it illustrates how they work effectively with their team members. The words “we” and “our” play big parts in their stories. They enthusiastically share what their company’s challenge was and what the solution meant to the business. As they discuss their goal or project, they often talk about the relationships with people inside and outside the company who helped facilitate their success. They show gratitude towards everyone who contributed. In the interview process, do you think and speak like a true team player?

As far as the requested “related experience,” again candidates might quickly assume their background covers that base easily. Even if similar experience is listed on your resume, that is not enough to make a job offer likely. The key here is to demonstrate that you have the required experience in the questions that you ask.

Answers are less effective than questions in an interview. Your insight to the role becomes most apparent when your questions clearly demonstrate your subject matter comprehension. When you then apply that comprehension to your understanding of the company’s position, you have differentiated yourself well. Effective “related experience” is also expressed in the stories that you tell. It’s true for companies and job seekers alike that success comes to them because they’ve got good stories to tell. Do you have stories that demonstrate a solid grasp of the day-to-day tasks you’d be assuming in this new role?

Finally, certain skills in a job description are often listed as “a plus.” Lots of times this is experience with certain software. This does not have to mean the end of your candidacy if you don’t have that particular skill. You’ve learned new skills in the past and gaining new ones now is all a part of your growth plan. Especially if it’s software, you can learn it. Provide them with an example of how you’ve taken on responsibilities in the past that were also unfamiliar to you. Determination and adaptability are what you need to highlight here.

Your ability to express your team-oriented approach to business, to ask insightful questions about the role and your demonstrated adaptability to successfully take on the next challenge will set you apart from the other candidates. You will be the one who gets an offer.