By Silvia Flores | Alder Koten
A company will hire you over someone else because… Can you complete that sentence?
Most people will tend to look back at their careers when they apply or interview for a job. They analyze what they’ve done. Think about why they are qualified, and they will most always have a magic number in the back of their mind. A number that will likely be based on a combination of what they are currently making, what they think they should be making, and what they hear or think people close to them are making.
However, now more than ever, hiring is market driven. If you do not chart a path with the market (and your competition) in mind, you are navigating blind.
What most people fail to do is ask that precious question: Why would a company hire me over someone else? It’s not easy since you will seldom know whom you are going up against. However, there are easy ways to benchmark your resume (LinkedIn), and it’s a question that can keep you on your feet. The question can also be looked at from a different perspective: What do you have to offer? Moreover, what would make your offer a better value proposition than somebody else’s?
Bear in mind that the answer to those questions cannot be working hard, being committed, or being a fast learner. Yes, those are important traits but they are expected of any above average professional. You HAVE to be good. The question is what makes you great and what can you offer that can place you among the elite.
Now, don’t forget that great and elite can only be defined in context. A fellow consultant asked me a few weeks ago if I thought Peyton Manning was an elite athlete. I, of course, said yes. I am not a big football fan, but it is after all Peyton Manning. I know who Peyton is. However, then he asked me how elite Peyton would be playing baseball and then reminded me of Michael Jordan’s time in professional baseball. So, I corrected. Peyton is an elite football player. The next question was how I thought Peyton would play defense, perhaps linebacker? I am sure you get the picture.
The answer to the value of what you have to offer can’t be isolated from the context.
So, back to the statement: A company will hire you over someone else because…
About Alder Koten
Alder Koten helps shape organizations through a combination of research, executive search, cultural & leadership assessment, and other talent advisory services. Our recruiters and executive search consultants bring to the recruiting process an in-depth understanding of the market conditions and strategic talent issues faced by clients within their particular industry. Our leadership consultants provide advisory services that are crafted to be collaborative, responsive, pragmatic, and results oriented. Focused on expanding the capabilities of the organization through talent.
