4 Keys that Unlock Side Doors (part 2 of 2)
Last week I listed 2 keys that Unlock Side Doors to help you stand out from the crowd. They were:
1. Be Willing to Standout From the Crowd
2. Show them a Skill/ Quality that is Hard-to-Find
This week I want to add two more that may be useful.
3. Talk to the Person Who Has the Power to Hire
Only the person who has the power to hire can request that you skip the Screen-out Process and be given an interview. The decision-maker is usually the business owner or department manager. For lower-level positions HR may make the final decision, but usually their job is to screen-out.
Research the decision-makers name by calling the company, looking on the company website, asking someone who works for the company, asking business associates in the industry or reviewing membership lists for business associations. Always address all letters, emails or phone calls to them personally.
If you can’t get access to the decision-maker, then impress someone they trust and can act as a credible referee.
4. Be Politely Persistent
If 100 people ask you for a job, and most have the skills to do the job – how do you decide who you will hire? Often it’s the one that shows the most interest in working for you … not just for a pay check. Polite Persistent is nicely reminding the employer you really want to work for them. It might look like:
- Calling or stopping by every fortnight or months to see if anything has become available
- In your letter to the employer telling them you will call or by stopping by … then doing it
- Demonstrating the skill or quality they need several times before asking if they can use your skills.
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employment, job search, resume, CV, interviews, stand out, power, polite
Photo by Hyperfinch
