How to be the ideal candidate for a job

Everyone knows it is best to customize your resume when applying for a job opening, (although not everyone does). But most don't think of how to customize their job interview. Most job seekers prepare for an interview with the usual steps by planning their responses to the typical list of  questions that an interviewer will ask. And that is certainly necessary, but it is not enough.

Most interview questions focus on the past, your education, previous job experience, "tell me about a time when you had to deal with something (in the past)." Some interviewers do better by asking how you would deal with certain situations in your new job. Some even ask for a plan of your course of action in the first 30, 60, or 90 days on the new job. You can expect that the more responsibility the position carries, the more they will want to hear about your plan of attack. 

In addition to the basics however, there is something you can do to make yourself an irresistible candidate. And that is to find out in advance where the pain points are in the organization and the job you are applying for, and explain how you will add your value to those challenges.

For example, when I was interviewing to hire career counselors, there were two important aspects of the job that need to be done well. The first is obviously career counseling, meaning listening, assessment, evaluation of training needs, goal-setting, etc. Nearly every candidate did a good job selling themselves on that one. For most this is the most rewarding and fun part of the job.

But none ever addressed the other side of the job which is the paperwork. Enrollment forms, eligibility forms, and case notes and termination forms are actually a big part of the job, and as a manager it is the part that I had to make sure are compliant with state requirements, because each grant is monitored by the state. It is a nightmare for a manager to have to audit and force counselors to be compliant with keeping up to date on the paperwork involved in case management.

If a candidate had said to me, "I understand that there are two key parts to this job: counseling and case management. And I can assure you that I am an excellent counselor as you can see by my experience and my references. But I also am an excellent case manager because I am organized, detail oriented, and I like to be on top of things and get things done."

They would have had me panting to hire them, because it exactly fits what I am truly looking for. It is rare that a person is good at both aspects because the counseling involves social/creative work, while the case management involves routine, detail-oriented focus.  You rarely get both skills at a high level in the same person.

What candidates should have done is research the position enough to know that a manager would care about both of these skills. Or during the interview they could have asked me, "what keeps you up at night about this job?" I would have told them and then they could have addressed my need and concern.

So, if you are a job seeker, take the time to research the pain points of the organization or hiring manager, and make sure you address them and put them to rest during the interview. This will not only distinguish you as a candidate, but it will shift the balance of power in the hiring process, so that the hiring manager will want you hire you so badly the will negotiate more to get you.