Two Ways to Get Hired by Overcoming Obstacles
I got an email last week from Jim S. in New York. His job-search question may not apply exactly to you, but the mind-set I suggest to solve it should.
So, if you give me two minutes here, I’ll show you two ways to get hired faster, by playing to your strengths, and offering employers the equivalent of “found” money.
Ready?
Jim writes: “I have been a self-employed residential general contractor with some commercial supervision experience for 35 years. Last fall I had heart surgery and as a consequence, I am no longer able to meet the physical demands of the job. How do I best convey this situation to a potential employer and still get in the door?”
When Jim asks, “How do I best convey this [health] situation to a potential employer and still get in the door?” what he’s really asking is: “How can I bring up my health problems and still get an interview?”
This is common, backwards thinking.
Instead, of worrying about how to confess a negative, Jim should build a case for his strengths until they overcome any resistance in the minds of employers.
Here’s the question that Jim (and you) should ask instead: “How can I appeal so strongly to an employer’s self interest that any issues about my physical condition won’t matter — they’ll want to hire me for my brains and not my body?”
Put another way, there must be some management function Jim can perform in construction that can leverage his 35 years of industry experience and knowledge, without requiring hard physical labor. He should examine his work history until he can picture a suitable job.
Better yet, he should call past supervisors, vendors, and clients, remind them of the good things he did for them, then ask: “Given my knowledge and experience, what leadership role do you see me playing for an employer?”
This is one way to overcome obstacles of physical condition, age, etc.
Now, here’s a second way to get more job interviews …
Let’s say you find a wallet full of money and credit cards. On the driver’s license, it reads: “Warren Buffett, Omaha, Nebraska.”
Now. Do you think you might be able to meet the CEO of Berkshire Hathaway?
All you’d have to do is call Mr. Buffett and say, “I found your wallet. Can I deliver it in person?” You would enjoy making that call, having that conversation, and meeting Mr. Buffett.
Well, you can do the same thing with employers — get to meet them by offering to return their “lost” money.
How?
Research employers until you can call a hiring manager and say something like this: “Mr. Smith, I found some lost money that belongs to you. You see, I called your office twice posing as a potential client, and your staff didn’t ask me a simple question that my last employer used to increase revenues 35%. Can I meet you for 15 minutes this week and give you that information?”
You would enjoy making that call, having that conversation, and meeting Mr. Smith.
And if you brought your resume and more tips to help him in his business, a job interview would be the likely result.
Or, you can mail a letter describing your “found money” information, say you’ll call to discuss, and then call at the appointed time.
If you really want to stand out, fold up your letter and mail it inside a wallet to an employer. (Buy wallets cheap at any flea market or dollar store). The headline of your letter can read, “Is this money yours?” No resume needed.
The point is this: When you call to ask someone if they’re hiring, they’ll refer you to HR. When you call to return their “lost” money, they’ll hang on your every word.
All you have to do is research an employer’s business, industry, clients, and competitors, until you find one idea that can make or save them a sizeable amount of money.
Best part: You don’t need to create the money-making/saving ideas, just as you don’t need to create gold nuggets — you need only dig them up. Nobody cares where you found the gold (except for the I.R.S.).
If you can’t do this — if you can’t think of ways for someone in your field of work to make or save money — it means you have no idea why an employer should put you on the payroll. Instead of thinking of ways to earn a job, you are waiting for someone to give you one. And you are in for a long wait.
Kevin Donlin is co-author of Guerrilla Resumes. Since 1996, he has provided job-search help to more than 20,000 people. Author of 3 books, Kevin has been interviewed by The New York Times, USA Today, Fox News, CBS Radio and others.
Courtesy of the Recruiting Blogswap, a content exchange service sponsored by CollegeRecruiter.com, a leading site for college students looking for internships and recent graduates seeking entry-level jobs and other career opportunities.
Originally posted on GadBall Blog
