6 Things That Convinces Recruiters To Hire You

By Dorcas Karuana,
Finding a great job these days could be tough. Hiring Managers have smaller budgets and every job offer counts. When several people have an input into a hiring decision and executives focus on a significant ROI for new hires, Hiring Managers are cautious. A poor hiring decision would be felt for months, if not longer.

If the Hiring Manager is indecisive, the interviewing and offer process can drag out for you, the job seeker. The real goal of submitting your application is to convince the hiring manager that you are the right person for the job because your performance will drive the greatest value for the company. This requires that you do the following;

1. Make yourself stand out from other candidates looking at the same job- You need to focus on what makes you unique.When you are lucky enough to be invited to an interview, it is essential that you are ready to sell yourself, to let the interviewers know what makes you unique, what added value you can bring to the position- in other words, why you are the best person for the job.

2. Be passionate and engaged. Most hiring managers will tell you that from their personal experience in recruitment; candidates who show a genuine passion for the job tend to get the job over other applicants. However, you need to have the relevant skills of course, too. The other key indicators for this are your “cultural fit,” personality, and style.

3. Lead with your best. First impressions are important, especially when it comes to whether you’re a good fit for a job. If you can’t connect with someone at the company before the interview, show your energy and deliver crisp answers. Be ready to tell great stories about your specific role at prior companies. When asked to “tell me about yourself,” provide information that illustrates strong and likable characteristics and provide some relevant examples of what you’ve done in your current job that would be relevant to the company you are interviewing with – something that shows how you’ve made positive impact. Give a brief answer, show passion in your voice, professional value to the employer and personal interest beyond your CV.

4. Performance – Spend time assessing and understanding their talents and strengths. This is critical to understanding and maximizing your performance. Know what you are good at and what you love to do. These are reflected in your talents – your natural abilities, interests, strengths and aptitudes.  Explain what you are good at and how you have used these talents in other jobs. This shows the hiring manager that you understand what activates your performance; you know how to play to your strengths and can see your impact in the workplace.

5. Fit – The more closely the job fits your talents and strengths, the greater you perform. Assess the critical talents required for success in the job for which you are applying. Fit relates to the matching of your talents to the talents needed in the job. Good fit – great potential performance. Bad fit – guaranteed average or poor performance. Let’s say your talents are more social and relationship-based. Roles in sales, service, healthcare and the arts are therefore a better fit than roles that require more linear, analytical and detailed thinking such as accounting, auditing, engineering and IT.

6. Value- Help the hiring manager see your ability to create similar or greater value for his company. This is the specific goal of the resume and application process. ‘Value. Sustained value. Maximized value.’ This is what makes you stand out and get hired. Face it; in exchange for your pay, the company expects a return. The greater the return, the more value they see in you. This is the focus of the hiring manager – to attract, hire and retain those employees who maximize value.

Dorcas is a Human Resource Consultant at Corporate Staffing Services. Email: dorcas@corporatestaffing.co.ke. Website www.corporatestaffing.co.ke