A few months ago, a friend referred someone to me for some advice before being flown in for an interview. He wanted to have an idea of what to expect, believing that he was well prepared AND wanting to make sure. He called last week, wanting to tell me what had happened and some of his thinking.
Yes, he did well on his interview. He is knowledgeable and intelligent plus he presents his ideas extremely well. Yet, he said, there was something troubling for him about the experience that he thought was worth sharing.
He said that he originally took the position as a consultant and the firm kept pressuring him to join fulltime. You and I can understand that desire easily. It's expensive to keep a consultant working for you.
Yet, from his vantage point, he really wanted to join them and kept asking them one question that, for some reason, they couldn't or wouldn't answer for him.
Why me? What is it about my experience that makes me a good fit for your firm and your plans?
Up until that point, he thought that there were many people who could do what he was doing and, although they kept speaking in general terms (We see you as someone who can help us grow. "How?"), they never gave him the feeling that he mattered.
It's a good lesson, particularly with experienced talent.
People want to believe that they can make a difference. Explain to them how they can.
Jeff Altman
The Big Game Hunter
Concepts in Staffing
jeffaltman@cisny.com
© 2007 all rights reserved.
Jeff Altman, The Big Game Hunter, is Managing Director with Concepts in Staffing, a New York search firm, He has successfully assisted many corporations identify management leaders and staff in technology, accounting, finance, sales, marketing and other disciplines since 1971. He is a certified leader of the ManKind Project, a not for profit organization that assists men with life issues, and a practicing psychotherapist.
If you have a question that you would like me to answer, email it to me at: thebiggamehunter@gmail.com
To receive a daily digest of positions emailed to you, search for openings that The Big Game Hunter is working on, to use Jeff’s free meta job lead search engine, Job Search Universe, to learn about his VIP program, or to subscribe to Jeff’s free job hunting ezine, “Head Hunt Your Next Job, go to http://www.jeffaltman.com. Job Search Universe is also available at www.jobsearchuniverse.com To add your firm’s career page to “The Universe” email the url to jobsesarchuniverse@gmail.com.
For Jeff’s free recruiting ezine, NaturalSelection Ezine, to help human resources professionals, managers and business owners make even better hiring decisions, ,subscribe at www.naturalselectionezine.com .
If you would like Jeff and his firm to assist you with hiring staff, or if you would like help with a strategic job change, send an email to him at jeffaltman@cisny.com (If you’re looking for a new position, include your resume).
