It sounds like it could be the title to Mel Gibson’s next movie.  What employers want!  It is the million-dollar question, and if you can find the answer, and provide the solution, you are hired.  It is as simple as that!

So what do employers want?  What every employer wants is a solution to their problems.  If they are recruiting – then they have a problem – they have a job that either isn’t being done, or it is overloading the rest of their staff, or they are expanding and therefore they have a new job to fill.

As a jobseeker to that company, it is your mission to find out what that company’s problems are, and then to show them that by hiring you, you can solve these problems for them.

So how do you do this?  Here are three steps to follow.  Lets take it that you have heard that a particular company is looking to appoint someone in your field of expertise.  

1)      First know yourself.   You would think that this is obvious, but you would be surprised how few candidates have really spent the time getting to know themselves.  What are your strengths, what are weaknesses?   Think of your skills and figure out how they will be a benefit to your employer.  (See “People don’t buy things").

2)      Do your homework on the company.  Look on the Internet, scan the business publications, and find out everything you can about the company.  First find out about the company itself.  What does it do, what business is it in.  Then learn about the industry they are in.  What products do they use?  Who are their competitors?  Find the name of someone who works there, and phone them and ask them some questions.  Find out about the job they have vacant.  What does this job entail, and what else would be a nice to have.

3)      Lastly, put all this information together.  Make a list of what you have to offer this company – what will make you valuable to them.  What are your differentiating factors, and what’s in it for them.  Where are you a perfect match, where do you fall short, and what extras do you have to offer.  

Once you know yourself, you know the company, and you truly believe that you can add value to the company, call and apply for the job.  You will be amazed at how much "quiet self-confidence" you will have in your ability.  It shows, it really does.

Lloyd Dicks

Founder of the JobFishing website.  After many years contracting in IT roles, in South Africa and abroad, Lloyd has spent the last 12 years in the recruitment and selection business.  He is currently Sales Director of Star Personnel Recruitment (Pty) Ltd.  While very much involved in the recruitment of top it staff, Lloyd is also a Job Coach and Trainer. 

It fascinates me, how many times I speak with Jobseekers, who complain that they have been for interviews, and two weeks later they still have had no feedback from the interviewer.  When questioned, they admit that they have made no contact with the interviewer since their meeting.  

Think about it for a moment.  The chances are that the employer has interviewed a number of candidates for the same position.  One of those candidates has taken the trouble to write and thank the prospective employer for the meeting.  Who do you think will stand the best chance of landing the job offer?

It all comes down to making yourself stand out favorably in the interviewers mind.  At the end of the interview, after saying goodbye to the interviewer, swing by the reception desk (or phone when you get home) and ask for his/her e-mail address or better still their postal address.  Drop the person a thank-you note.  I guarantee you that even if everyone reads this message, only one out of ten of you will actually do it.

You may be thinking to yourself, “doesn’t this make me come across as desperate?”  I don’t think so.  What it does show is that you are polite and that you appreciate and value the time that they have spent meeting with you.  

Take a few moments to write a quick thank you.  You will be surprised at the result you will get.

Good luck, and tight lines.

Lloyd Dicks

Lloyd Dicks – Founder of the JobFishing website.  After many years contracting in IT roles, in South Africa and abroad, Lloyd has spent the last 12 years in the recruitment and selection business.  He is currently Sales Director of Star Personnel Recruitment (Pty) Ltd.  While very much involved in the recruitment of top it staff, Lloyd is also a Job Coach and Trainer. 

We have all heard it before.  It is written in every sales or marketing book ever written.  People don’t buy things they buy what those things can do for them.  A man shopping for a  50mm bit for his drill, really doesn’t want a drill bit, what he wants is a 50mm hole.

This should be at the top of our minds when looking for a new job.  Your job, as the candidate, is to show the prospective employer, that you are the solution to his/her problems.  Think about it as if you were sitting on the hiring side of the desk.  What would you want to know about the person you were interviewing?  

If you were recruiting for a receptionist you would want a well-groomed individual, who spoke well, and would enhance your companies image.  The person would need exceptional people skills, a pleasant disposition, and the ability to work in an often-stressful environment when it gets busy.   The person will need to be efficient and accurate, you wouldn’t want them to take down the wrong number when taking a message.

When you think of it like this (from the hiring side of the desk), it is easy to identify what characteristics the interviewer is looking for in you, the candidate.  They want to know that you are presentable (so include a small photo of yourself in business attire in the CV and make sure you dress well for the interview).  They want to know that you enjoy people, so include examples of opportunities you have had in dealing with people.  They want to know that you are efficient and accurate, even under stressful environments, so make sure you demonstrate that you have handled this before.  

Before you start looking for a new job, sit for a while and imagine that you were on the hiring side of the desk.  What characteristics would you be looking for?  Write these down on a piece of paper.  Then decide how your personality and skills can solve these problems for the employer, and make sure that your CV shows this.  When you are interviewed, emphasise these abilities to the prospective employer.  You will be surprised how you suddenly understand why interviewers ask the questions they do.

It is all about making the interviewers decision to hire you, as easy as possible.  It is your job as the candidate to show them that you are the solution that they have been looking for.

Lloyd Dicks

Lloyd Dicks – Founder of the JobFishing website.  After many years contracting in IT roles, in South Africa and abroad, Lloyd has spent the last 12 years in the recruitment and selection business.  He is currently Sales Director of Star Personnel Recruitment (Pty) Ltd.  While very much involved in the recruitment of top IT staff, Lloyd is also a Job Coach and Trainer.