You Have Lost Them for Good When You Say You Can’t

I had a very frustrating experience recently with my bank. I went to deposit money in an account. It is an account I use infrequently, however, which annually is the source for funding an important bill that is paid to benefit members of my family. In trying to deposit money, as I had in past years, the teller ran into problems with the transaction. Upon calling her manager I learned my account had been closed. In researching the problem, the closure had occurred several months earlier but I had not been notified due to an improper mailing address. While my records were visible to the bank, it was indicated to me the account could not be reopened and I would have to start the entire application process again to open a new account. I asked the bank why? They indicated to me it “was their policy”. As I did not have all the necessary documentation with me to reopen the account, I left the bank an angry customer (yes coaches do display anger), vowing to never do business with them again. I subsequently opened the account I needed with another bank.

I use this example this week to make a point. While there was some anger about the account being closed and me not being properly notified, my anger truly stemmed from the feedback I received that nothing could be done because of the bank’s policy. When we’re looking to work with or for another, and we’re trying to establish a relationship that will meet both our needs, not being willing to work with the other party on a potential solution will be the surest way to ensure the relationship will not progress.

As you know, I predominantly work with those in job search. Whether job searchers realize it or not, they are looking to meet the needs of another, in particular the hiring manager for the position which they’re interviewing. Getting to the core of what the hiring manager seeks in the new hire, the requirements of the position and most of all determining what it is that the hiring manager needs to hear in order for their needs to be met is of utmost importance. There are those job searchers who will say how am I supposed to know those answers? One main way is going in with an approach of asking some of those very questions. A job interview is not just one side asking questions. The applicant should be asking as many questions as the hiring company. It is the only way to find out the company’s needs and be able to demonstrate you have the experience and talents to meet them.

Doubts start creeping into the hiring manager’s mind when the job searcher is hesitant about whether they can meet the needs of his position, or if the seeker indicates to just trust on blind faith he can learn the requirements of the job. As much as the candidate feels they are in need of something, those asking the questions are also in need of something. They are looking for the best candidate to meet the requirements of their opening. The more required of the position, and the more people in the company it may impact, the more certain they’re going to want to be that the person brought in can meet all of the needs of the position. Indicating that they’re unable to meet some aspect or another, is likely to lead the candidate to no longer be considered for the position.

Whether it is retail or job search, or even shopping for that particular item that you need to fulfill your Christmas shopping list, we all have expectations of others. The one having the need has the say over the expectations. And, while a job searcher may feel they are the one in need, they only are as it relates to the conducting of their own individual search and how they choose the type of position, industries and companies they choose to pursue. Once they speak to a company about an opening a company may have, then the expectations shift back to the company. The job searcher does still have the choice of whether or not they choose to fulfill those needs. However, the realization should be there that demonstrating they can’t to the full satisfaction of the one with the opening, means that the hiring manager may indeed look elsewhere, much like I did when I became dissatisfied with my bank.