When it comes down to it, most employers are going to hire the candidate they can connect with and trust. Think about it about – when it’s down to two candidates with equally impressive experience and skills, it’s going to be about the bond and connection formed. This bond and connection is also a result of a certain level of trust. Related: 7 Things Employers Want To Find Out During Job Interviews Find out how you as a job seeker can connect with the employer and build that level of trust to improve your chances of getting hired:
1. See who you know.
The more people you know internally, the better your chances. That’s why employers often prefer to interview and hire referrals from existing employees or colleagues before looking at the random candidate who applies online. There’s the belief that a candidate who was referred will be a better match and that he/she has already received the approval of others in order to even come in as a referral.2. Build rapport with the hiring manager / recruiter.
When you are interviewing it is vital that you build rapport by asking questions and turning a traditional interview into a conversation. Make sure you researched the manager on LinkedIn and ask insightful questions that demonstrate you are listening and understand the challenges.3. Start somewhere with the employer.
Building on the first point of employers preferring to hire referrals, they also prefer to hire or promote within the organization first. There’s simply less risk to it because they’ve seen how you perform on the job. As a job seeker, be willing to start somewhere with the employer and gradually build the path to where you want to go. That’s how interns become regular employees, how the administrative assistant moves on to become an Account Executive, and how those working at ad agencies, PR agencies, and consulting agencies move on from serving clients to being the client (when they land an internal position).4. Demonstrate you understand the business and its needs.
Before any job interview, you need to really do your research to understand the employer’s business. A candidate who comes off well-informed about its needs, which includes information about its competitors, its audience, its challenges and opportunities, says they are ready to hit the ground running.5. Build on interpersonal communication.
When you come across easy to talk to and there’s a sense of commonality, that helps build rapport. There’s the sense that you’re both on the same page. Continue to build on it with the help of mirroring techniques. For tips on mirroring, read: “#1 Tip For Acing An Interview: Mirroring.” Also equally important is to keep your promise. If you say you’ll follow up with a copy of your portfolio after the job interview, do that. If you say you’ll send over contact information for your references in the evening, do that. An employer’s trust in a candidate is based on the demonstrated experience and skills and the relationship formed. Utilize one or all of the tips above to help build your character as one worth hiring.Related Posts
How To Answer 7 Of The Most Common Interview QuestionsTop 3 Tips For Phone InterviewsHow To Ace The Panel Interview
