by Patricia Palleschi, Ph.D., President of The Executive Agency; featured photo by Ben White on Unsplash…
A wise person once revealed that there are only four reasons why a person gets hired. (And you are most likely to get hired if you have all four going for you!)
- Someone in a hiring position likes you.
- You have some key people on your speed dial.
- You have credential(s) that the hiring manager feels are important or prestigious.
- Most important, you will make the company (and, therefore, the hiring manager) money.
Top companies talk about assessments, interviews, or stress tests as tools that make sound hiring decisions that will lead to an engaged workforce.
People make hiring decisions.
They may talk about hiring new grads, hiring from competitors, etc. But after making those “cuts,” the bar is still:
“Do I want this person in the cubicle next to me?”
“Do I want to eat with them?”
Really, it is, “Do I like them?”
So, what is really happening?
We really haven’t changed our hiring methods since Julius Caesar assigned his second in command. (And see how that turned out!)
I’ve heard presidents of companies discuss the potential of their staff behind closed-door sessions — and I’ve been involved in the presentations given to boards on high potential executives. These same four reasons come up again and again – just couched in different terms.
Now, to be sure, there are many “career search” companies that will sell you expensive and time consuming tools to speed your search time. As one “expert” said, “Sometimes an average candidate will be hired thanks to a brilliant resume.” Hmmm… Not if the resume has to go through an automated system!
A great brand? Uh…now EVERYONE has a great brand.
Staying power with the business? Do YOU plan to stay in a business your whole career? (Have you heard what happens when a company is acquired? Staying may not be an option.)
As a culture, we rely on our gut to make many decisions. Dr. Leonard Zunin’s book Contact: The First Four Minutes indicated that we make many decisions on first impressions before issues are actually discussed.
Amy Cuddy, TED Talker Extraordinaire, indicates that our non-verbal behavior almost instantly telegraphs our status and indicates our capabilities. And she recommends that we “fake it until we make It.”
Looking for a job?
Focus on the Big FOUR:
- Really be a person who is likable and understands others
- Bring a community to work with you the first day (that all important speed dial!)
- Work to add value to your new company
- Demonstrate (even in an average resume!) that you have made money for a company in the past
You know something? Those four reasons for hiring are not such bad reasons after all!
