How many times have you thought, “I’m perfect for this job. Why didn’t the employer hire me?”

If your first thought is this, then the answer to your question is actually very simple. You, who are looking for a job, simply failed to show the interviewer how well you meet the company's requirements. Keep in mind, it's not about your qualifications, but about your ability to convince the employer that you are a great fit for the position.

“Hope, as they say, is not a strategy, and now you are ‘walking’ through the interview without having a map with you.”

Too often, candidates share their accomplishments, work history, and charm before they understand what the employer is really looking for. During an interview, you are selling the product you know best - yourself, and you have to do it in a very short time. Remember the first rule of sales: “Sell what the buyer needs.” If you spend a lot of time talking about your talents and experiences that are not relevant to the job you are applying for, you risk appearing unqualified in the eyes of the recruiter. Interestingly, employers do the same. They often try to sell their company without considering how well it is a good fit for you.

Frankly, employers and employees can make better decisions if the interviewer simply begins the conversation with “a precise list of what they are looking for” and a question about “how well the candidate meets those requirements.” And the popular phrase “tell us about yourself” often sends the applicant into areas that are not important for the interview. A candidate who feels pressured begins to tell a story while simultaneously thinking about what the employer needs to know. Hope, as they say, is not a strategy, and now you are "walking" through the interview without having a map with you, which is a serious mistake.

How can you avoid this trap?

Passively collect information about the employer's needs. Even at the very beginning of the conversation, experienced interviewers will ask questions focused on the areas and skills that new employees need to have. Look carefully at this and highlight how you meet these requirements. People, no matter who they are, want to be sure that they are making the right decisions.

Actively gather information about what the employer needs. When I teach our candidates how to ask the right question to make the right decision, I show them how to design the question for short-term and long-term use. Any questions designed to elicit information that you will analyze later are considered long-term questions. “Can you describe your training program?” is long-term because you will take this information into account closer to the employment decision, and it rarely requires an immediate response. During the interview, you can also ask questions to determine what the employer is looking for in a new employee. So they are short-term because you can use this information immediately to better represent yourself. Some of the most effective questions include: “What are the attributes of the best employees? What type of person is best suited for this position? What skill set is your current team lacking?” These questions provide information about the qualities that the employer wants to see in a new employee. And you should, of course, include them in your story.

Try to neutralize the scary request: “Tell me about yourself.” I truly wish this issue would disappear from the face of the earth. It also surprises me when an interviewer tells me, “I like this question because it helps me understand how the candidate sees himself. It also allows me to get information that I might not have asked for." In fact, all of these statements are true. However, answering this question will take up most of your allotted “hour” because candidates often talk about things that ultimately do not influence the employer’s decision. Therefore, take control of this situation. So, if you hear this question, ask a counter question. Instead of talking about your 20-year career, help the interviewer highlight areas that are relevant to the company and position. A simple answer such as: “I have a lot of experience and I would like to go into more detail in areas that will help you determine if I am a good fit for this role. What exactly do you want to know from my past experiences?”

Ultimately, I would like to point out that the most important skill you should have is your ability to identify the needs of a potential employer so that you can show how you can meet them.

Andy La Civita, linkedin.com
Translation: Tatyana Gorban

• Career, Work, Study

There is a certain a priori postulate that candidates, consultants, and employers are guided by. Something like the old version of the traffic rules (the current one was prudently removed :)) - “Every traffic participant must comply with the rules and has the right to count on their observance by other road users.”

What is expected in case of an interview? That the employer, for its part, has fulfilled several necessary conditions:

1) The requirements for the candidate are clearly defined and justified (i.e. it is clearly, competently, correctly, logically and reasonably defined what an employee should do in a vacant position, what qualifications, business and personal qualities he should have to ensure high productivity , quality and appropriate level of interaction and communication).

2) Interviewer(s) - professionals who are proficient in interview techniques, able to test (diagnose) a candidate during the interview process in order to identify his professional skills, business and personal qualities, motivation, etc.

3) The decision-making will be objective (i.e. there will be no acceptance of a weak candidate because he is a fellow countryman, or refusal of a good candidate because the wrong skin color/nose shape/eye shape/place of birth, for which the interviewer has a personal dislike or simply a phobia) .

Now the interview begins :)

Well, those who have been interviewed will understand what I mean (and will even give a certain number of examples when these same postulates do not come true). So, to the “most important skills” that are mentioned at the end of the article, I would add the ability to recognize a future employer - either a specific interviewer (both a recruiter and a representative of the customer functional department - a future boss or colleague) ... as to be more gentle...or maybe the whole company is like that. If the theater begins with a hanger, then the employer begins with an interview. If the employer has such “interviewers,” then you need to think hard about whether it’s worth going there to work, because trouble never comes alone.

Honesty is the main key to any interview. All sides (both good and bad) must be known immediately...

The job advertisement clearly states the work experience that the employer is looking for from you. But your experience is not as stated. However, you should not give up trying to get the job you want. The figure is very conditional.

They may turn a blind eye to non-compliance with this requirement if the interlocutor really likes you. An important point is who published the job advertisement. If the source is the employing company and your only drawback as a candidate is a formal lack of experience, you are in luck. There are more chances to get a position. When you are dealing with a recruiter from a staffing agency, things are more complicated. Many agencies, usually not among the strongest professionally, primarily screen out candidates based on formal criteria. They strictly follow the requirements set by the customer.

You can make a favorable impression if you specifically demonstrate your professional achievements. The experience may be short in duration, but interesting in its results. Let me give you an example: an insurance company needed a person who would promote their services and work with clients. The organization wanted to hire a person with at least five years of experience, but the applicant had worked in such a position for only two years. However, before that, he had been promoting banking services for four years. These areas have a lot in common. The candidate talked about his work and results in both positions and eventually got the desired job.

Another example: a company that sells dairy products was looking for a manager to work with supermarkets. We spoke with a candidate who had only been involved in dairy products for one year, and that was only a few years ago. After that, he sold juices for three years. But at the same time, I worked with precisely this category of clients - large retail companies. We understood that the person's formal experience did not meet the employer's expectations. But after talking with the candidate, we realized that he might be of interest to the client. We introduced him to the employer. Typically, in such cases, we agree in advance with the client that he will be presented with a candidate who deserves consideration, but does not formally meet certain requirements. The final result will depend on how the interview at the company goes.

Almost always, when assessing and selecting candidates, not only professionalism is taken into account, but also personal qualities, such as interest in work and focus on results, loyalty to the employer, ability to communicate correctly, and even simple human charm. Therefore, if the recruiter really has doubts associated with a lack of experience, you have a counterbalance - to compensate for the lack of charm, sociability and other attractive personal qualities.

The job advertisement clearly states the work experience that the employer is looking for from you. But your experience is not as stated. However, you should not give up trying to get the job you want. The figure is very conditional.

They may turn a blind eye to non-compliance with this requirement if the interlocutor really likes you. An important point is who published the job advertisement. If the source is the employing company and your only drawback as a candidate is a formal lack of experience, you are in luck. There are more chances to get a position. When you are dealing with a recruiter from a staffing agency, things are more complicated. Many agencies, usually not among the strongest professionally, primarily screen out candidates based on formal criteria. They strictly follow the requirements set by the customer.

You can make a favorable impression if you specifically demonstrate your professional achievements. The experience may be short in duration, but interesting in its results. Let me give you an example: an insurance company needed a person who would promote their services and work with clients. The organization wanted to hire a person with at least five years of experience, but the applicant had worked in such a position for only two years. However, before that, he had been promoting banking services for four years. These areas have a lot in common. The candidate talked about his work and results in both positions and eventually got the desired job.

Another example: a company that sells dairy products was looking for a manager to work with supermarkets. We spoke with a candidate who had only been involved in dairy products for one year, and that was only a few years ago. After that, he sold juices for three years. But at the same time, I worked with precisely this category of clients - large retail companies. We understood that the person's formal experience did not meet the employer's expectations. But after talking with the candidate, we realized that he might be of interest to the client. We introduced him to the employer. Typically, in such cases, we agree in advance with the client that he will be presented with a candidate who deserves consideration, but does not formally meet certain requirements. The final result will depend on how the interview at the company goes.

Almost always, when assessing and selecting candidates, not only professionalism is taken into account, but also personal qualities, such as interest in work and focus on results, loyalty to the employer, ability to communicate correctly, and even simple human charm. Therefore, if the recruiter really has doubts associated with a lack of experience, you have a counterbalance - to compensate for the lack of charm, sociability and other attractive personal qualities.

Ozol Sergey

I understand that this person is not up to the task. But I don't have anything else right now. My task is to lie to him so that he runs with burning eyes to solve an impossible task. And I tell him that he is super, that he is Batman, that no one else can handle this except him...

Top manager

Everyone knows that “those who want do more than those who can” (G. Murray). Olympic champions do not always have better physical shape and technical preparation than those who are inferior to them in first place. But they are always much more motivated to win than their rivals.

One example is indicative in this regard. A group of consultants from the Intellect Service company conducted a study of the production process at enterprise X. Based on the results of measuring the time required to complete technological operations, our company’s consultants built a model, calculated the required number of personnel and informed the company’s managers. At the same time, they stipulated that this scheme can be implemented only in the case of very high staff motivation. The managers of the enterprise decided to conduct an experiment: to test the new work scheme in action. Under conditions of strict control, under threat of dismissal, the workers were unable to repeat the results that they showed in a normal work environment. There was nothing to blame them for: they worked with all their might. And the results turned out to be twice as bad.

In this example, managers tried to replace the individual motivation of workers to achieve results with control and fear of punishment. At the same time, the workshop personnel were well aware of what the success of the experiment promised them: a reduction in personnel and an increase in workload.

As Leo Tolstoy said: “No activity can be lasting if it does not have a basis in personal interest.” The only question is how to motivate staff in order to combine the interests of the company with the personal interests of employees?

Staff motivation. Where is his button?

Management theorists and practitioners offer a lot of recipes. For example, Svetlana Ivanova in her book “100% Motivation: Where’s his button?”, which went through three reprints (Alpina Business Books, 2007), offers her technology staff motivation. It consists in the fact that we study the “employee motivator map”. That is, we try to understand what is important to this person (for example, money, a creative task, career growth, a team, clarity of goals, or something else). And all steps and actions taken by the company in relation to this employee are presented with adaptation to his “motivator map”. That is, for those for whom a creative approach is important, we emphasize how he can create when carrying out an assignment. And for those who value stability, how can they maintain it by solving the task at hand?

It is this approach, according to the author, that allows you to achieve the most effective management communication and a positive impact on the employee, that is, increase the motivation of your staff. The technology is simple, understandable, and undoubtedly allows you to achieve results.

The only question is why does it work?

The answer is simple: manipulations almost always work! E. L. Dotsenko called this the exploitation of personal (motivational) structures (Dotsenko E. D. Mechanisms of psychological defense against manipulative influence. Abstract of a dissertation for the degree of Candidate of Psychological Sciences. M.: Moscow State University, 1994)

What is manipulation? This is a deliberate and hidden encouragement of another person to experience certain states, make decisions and perform actions necessary for the initiator to achieve his own goals (Sidorenko E.V. Training of influence and resistance to influence. - St. Petersburg: Rech, 2001). The manipulator’s task is to force a person to do something necessary, but in such a way that it seems to the person that he himself decided to do it, and made this decision not under the threat of punishment, but of his own free will.

In fact, he acts under the influence of those thoughts and feelings that the manipulator was able to evoke in him, touching the “strings of the soul” or motives that are significant for the addressee. A manipulator is a master of playing on other people's motivational structures, or the strings of someone else's soul. And the more subtle and skillful it is, the more strings in someone else’s soul it can recognize and touch.

How is this different from motivation technologies???

Elena Sidorenko (ibid.) divides motivators, excuse me, manipulators into two subspecies: balalaika players and harpists. “The manipulative balalaika player sees in another person, no matter who he is, only three strings - like in a balalaika. For example, pride, greed and fear. Addressing a person who seems like a balalaika to him, he tries to hurt his pride, his sense of self-worth, his desire to get more money (or lose less), his desire to protect himself as much as possible” (did you recognize the top manager from the epigraph?).

“The manipulative harpist in each person picks up individual strings and plays them with precision. It could be curiosity, envy, a desire for independence, power...” Or money, a creative task, career growth, a team, clarity of goals... That's all there is to motivating staff.

But it works...

Of course, our whole life is permeated with manipulation. And if manipulative technologies work, then maybe there’s no need to worry? The same E.D. Dotsenko argues that manipulation is still preferable to physical violence or direct coercion. And, in the end, the winners are not judged! If a leader ensures the achievement of his goals, what difference does it make how he does it?

If it does, then yes.

We will not delve into the question of the permissibility of manipulation from an ethical point of view. Let's look at the purely pragmatic aspects and possible consequences of this method of motivating staff and such managerial influence.

In the case when we need to quickly set up and inspire a subordinate to complete some task, this method of increasing motivation can be very effective. If we tell a short-distance runner before the start exactly the word that will make him overcome himself, then, having won, he will be grateful to us. But if the duration of the race is not seconds, not minutes, but years?

By introducing this method of increasing motivation into everyday practice, using only it, we take a serious risk. After all, what works well in the short term often works against us in the long term.

An employee who has been scammed once, twice, three times will sooner or later realize that he is being scammed. And in our corporate environment there will be another person who lives by the principle: “we will respond to the Red Terror with delirium tremens.” And the hammer and sickle deciphers only as “mow and slaughter.”

Another possible problem with overusing this technology is that employees may also want to “motivate” management. And they will adopt the motivation technique. After all, we are all manipulators. Some more, some less. Those who are poor at this skill will drop out of the game and the organization. And, sooner or later, we will form a friendly team of motivators who will play manipulative games with each other.

The picture is not very rosy. And from the point of view of achieving the set goals, a lot of questions arise.

I do not want to say that knowing the map of motivators of your subordinates inevitably leads to the collapse of the organization. You just need to clearly understand the limits of applicability of this technology for increasing the level of motivation. Let's formulate situations in which it will really be useful. This motivation technique is applicable if...

We need to inspire the person to complete a short-term task that has a clear time frame. Moreover, the result will bring satisfaction not only to the manager, but also to the subordinate himself.

A “must” situation. Some medicines are tasty and some are useful. Each of us has to give not only interesting or pleasant tasks. Exception: if you receive such tasks several times a day.

Fire. Not a real fire (in this case there is no time for sentimentality), but simply an emergency situation. Again, if this is not the norm for your organization.

In these and similar situations, it is worth connecting the task and the interests of the employee. But this cannot be done often!

And it is also worth remembering that “the factor that motivates a particular person to work intensively today may contribute to the “switching off” of that same person tomorrow. No one knows exactly how the mechanism of motivation works, how strong the motivating factor must be and when it will work, much less why it will work” (Richard Henderson). When using this technique, do not forget that everything changes. Including motivator cards.

What if the distance is long?

What to do in all other situations? According to the results of F. Herzberg’s research, the following motivating factors include:

The work itself.

Achievements, success.

Recognition of achievements.

Responsible work.

Growth and development.

By making special efforts to give our people more opportunities to feel personal success, assigning them responsible work, adding more variety to their daily duties, stimulating their growth and development, providing recognition for their achievements, we thereby contribute to increasing their personal motivation. Here are some ideas for increasing the motivation of your subordinates.

Work in itself

Application of various management methods depending on the employee’s level of development (more on this later)

Allowing you to work your way

Special events that allow employees to feel proud of their company

Personnel participation in decision making

Achievements, success

Creation of special projects, allocation of part of the work into a project with clearly defined deadlines and evaluation criteria

Discussion of ways to achieve the goal

Recognition of achievements

Praise (in person, over the phone, in letters, in meetings...)

Rewards, prizes, certificates

Regular communication

Responsible work

Providing additional information

Encouraging new ideas

Introduction of specialization

Growth and development

Career planning

Education

Transfer to another job, new experience, horizontal career

However, if I start applying the “right model” and practicing the “right” skills, introducing them into myself, but do not accept them, then this model and these skills will not take root. When we eat food, some things are absorbed and others are not. It is impossible to change your behavior patterns and inspire your employees without changing your attitude towards them. If I consider them “cattle”, then they will pay me in kind, no matter what right words I say.

According to research by D. McGregor, all managers are divided into those who believe that:

The average worker does not like to work. The main tendency of his behavior is avoidance of work.

Workers must be forced to work. Means of coercion can be threats, punishment, and rewards.

The average worker avoids initiative.

And those who are convinced that:

Physical or mental work is as natural as play or rest.

External control and the threat of punishment do not determine the labor activity of employees. People are able to act independently if they identify their goals with the goals of the organization. Command and direct coercion are not the best methods of management.

Achieving a goal in itself is an internal reward. At the same time, self-expression is realized as one of the highest forms of human social needs. This aspect of motivation is given too little importance.

It is possible to create conditions where the average person will strive for responsibility.

The capacity for a high degree of imagination, ingenuity and creativity is widespread among humans. The ingenuity of the average worker is capable of outwitting any control system invented by management.

Our ideas about people largely determine their behavior. Try changing it! The following algorithm will help you with this.

1. Remember that person who seems to you to be insufficiently or incorrectly motivated for his work. Leave behind the threshold of consciousness everything you know about this person, his motives and focus on how you want to see him. Make up your own mind about this person. What goals should he set for himself? What should he strive for?

2. Make sure that his clear ideal image appears in front of you. Imagine that he has already become the way you would like to see him.

3. Now, when approaching this person on any matter, refer to your ideal idea of ​​him. Your prediction will come true - he will become closer to your ideal idea of ​​him.

During interviews, HR people are very fond of asking: “Why should we hire you?” By asking this question, the employer wants to know what specific qualities make you the No. 1 candidate.

Your answer should be a short list of what you can offer the company, says job search expert Alison Doyle. “A better option is to provide a list of examples of why your skills and accomplishments make you the strongest candidate,” she advises.

There is nothing complicated about this, but in order to answer this question clearly, thoroughly and convincingly, you need to spend a few minutes in advance and prepare for it.

Employer's requirements VS your qualities

Carefully read the list of requirements that the employer sets for a potential employee. Pay attention not only to professional, but also to personal requirements.

Then make a list of your professional and personal qualities that meet the company's requirements. For each point, come up with a small example that will describe how you successfully demonstrated and used this or that trait in your work. For example, if you mention that you are a team player, then think of and describe a situation where your ability to work well in a team helped you successfully implement a specific project.

Be concise

Your answer should be short and take no more than one or two minutes. Therefore, select a few of the most striking qualities from your list and talk about them. Start from what you think the employer is primarily looking for in future employees.

For example, if you want to go to work in an advertising agency, it is best to focus on your creative abilities. If this is a managerial position, then your ability to work and ability to apply a systematic approach may be more important to the employer. The main thing is not to remain unfounded and give specific examples.

Focus on uniqueness

The employer also wants to know what makes you stand out from other candidates. Therefore, it is worth naming two or three points that you think are unique and that are not often found in other candidates. Such qualities could be, for example, extensive experience in one field, work abroad, or experience in entrepreneurial activity in this field.

Formulate your answer in advance

Since the answer must be concise, and any hesitation may raise doubts among your potential employer, it is best to formulate in advance exactly what you will say.

Your answer should be very concise, so it’s best to think ahead about what exactly you will say

Think of a few sentences in which you describe all your strengths. Repeat them silently or out loud so that the question doesn’t take you by surprise.

Finally, the expert offers an optimal example of an answer to this question. Of course, you can add even more details to it:

“I understand that you are looking for a sales executive who can effectively manage twenty employees. Ten years of experience as a sales manager allowed me to develop good skills in organizing work processes and motivating staff. In my previous job, I was twice recognized as Manager of the Year for my suggestions for improving customer motivation strategies, as well as my ideas for organizing team collaboration. Thanks to these innovations, our team managed to exceed quarterly plans by 20%. If I get this job, I will actively use my leadership skills to increase the company's efficiency and profit.".