Employers are human beings; like all humans, they look out for their interests. In other words, companies structure their hiring processes to identify and select candidates who will effectively serve their company’s interests.
People with meteoric careers often envied, acknowledge, and therefore strategically work with two facts:
- The employer’s interest dictates the workplace.
- It’s not the candidate’s place to decide what’s in the employer’s best interest.
Most job seekers hold the opinion that employers should select candidates purely based on their skills and qualifications. For the employer, “most qualified” doesn’t necessarily equal “best.” When recruiting and selecting new employees, employers have the right and responsibility to prioritize their organizational interests.
Two harsh truisms:
- Companies choose what’s best for them.
- There’s no such thing as a “must-have” candidate.
The concept of a great candidate (yes, a great candidate is a concept) is highly subjective. No company has gone bankrupt because it failed to hire a supposed “great candidate.”
Merely labelling yourself as a great candidate or talented without demonstrating your potential to enhance the employer’s bottom line isn’t a convincing reason to hire you. Unsubstantiated opinions are worthless. For your opinion(s) of yourself to be taken seriously, it must be backed up by credible evidence.
During the hiring process, employers protect their interests in the following areas:
Prioritizing relevant skills and experience:
Employers look for candidates with job-specific skills, knowledge, and experience. They want to ensure the new hire can hit the ground running and be productive immediately.
Assessing cultural fit:
Employers evaluate a candidate’s values, working style, and personality to ensure they’ll fit into the company’s culture. All hiring decisions come down to: Will this candidate fit in?
Considering long-term potential:
Employers prefer candidates with growth potential who can take on more responsibilities in the future.
Avoiding excessive costs:
Employers strive to hire the best possible candidate while managing labour costs (salary, benefits, training requirements).
Mitigating risks:
To minimize the risk of making a bad hire, employers review a candidate’s background and digital footprint and speak to their references beforehand.
With all of the above in mind, it’s your responsibility as a job seeker to demonstrate to employers why hiring you would be in their best interest by:
Understanding the employer’s perspective
Many job seekers struggle with their job search because of their mindset. A person’s mindset is everything, especially when looking for work, as it influences how they perceive employers and job possibilities. The savvy job searcher knows that it’s not about them; it’s about the employer. They envision the employer as a potential customer. Employers create jobs and, therefore, paychecks; consequently, they’re the customers. As Harry Gordon Selfridge, the founder of Selfridge’s department store in London, famously said, “The customer is always right.”
By empathizing with the employer’s perspective, it’ll become apparent that employers are making strategic investments in their human capital rather than simply filling open positions. An organization’s long-term success requires hiring people who can contribute (read: add measurable value), not those with an extensive resume that doesn’t show what measurable value-adds they can contribute to the employer.
Employers are responsible for building a workforce that can drive productivity, protect the company’s competitive advantages, and mitigate legal/reputation risks. Therefore, think about how you can position your candidacy as an excellent strategic investment.
Highlighting your unique value proposition
When communicating with employers, you must go beyond simply stating your qualifications and experience. Focus on articulating a unique value proposition – your ability to meet the employer’s most pressing needs and objectives – to answer the question in the back of the employer’s mind, “Why should I hire this person? What difference will they make to the company?”
Do you have a proven track record of boosting productivity and efficiency? Maybe you possess niche technical skills that would give the company a competitive edge. Perhaps you have a book of clients. Most job seekers fail to demonstrate how they’ll provide a substantial return on their compensation – the employer’s investment. Don’t be like most job seekers! If you’re asking for a salary of $95,000, be ready to explain quantitatively what the employer will get in return.
Demonstrating your commitment to their success
Employers are not just looking for someone to fill a role; they want someone passionate about contributing to the company’s success. Show them that you’re that person.
Ultimately, the hiring process is not a charity or a favour employers do for job seekers. It is a strategic business decision that can make or break an organization’s ability to thrive. While employers should treat all candidates with respect and fairness, they’re well within their rights to design their hiring practices to serve their best interests. Just because an employer’s hiring process doesn’t work for the job seeker doesn’t mean it doesn’t work for the employer.
Nick Kossovan, a well-seasoned veteran of the corporate landscape, offers advice on searching for a job.
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