Every job seeker’s dream is to hear “You’re the perfect fit, the job is yours to lose!” from the recruiter. Finding a job that’s a perfect fit for your skills and experience, one where the hiring influencers are pre-disposed to say “Yes!” to you…that’s the ideal situation! BUT, you can still lose the opportunity. Here are the top 4 reasons that perfect match can slip through your fingers:
Over-confidence. Confidence is great, it speaks volumes about your experience and your comfort in a leadership role. Remember that no matter how perfect the fit, the organization is still interviewing you to ensure that you do, in fact, fit well into their company and will complement and enhance the team they’ve spent time and effort building. Every interview can be failed, even a “sure thing”. Dress for success, stay humble, and show your interest in the position.
Ignorance. What you don’t know, bites you. Even in the best of all possible interview situations, do you research. Read up on the corporate culture, listen carefully to the information your recruiter gives you, and use it to help you focus on the areas of importance to this organization. Being prepared for an interview is crucial, even when you’re expecting success. You don’t want to emphasize your experience in entering the global marketplace if the company is still recovering from a failed attempt at a bid to enter the Chinese market! Don’t forget to brush up on your own resume, too. Be comfortable discussing both your prospective employer and your own skills and experience.
Engagement. Treating an interview as though it’s just a formality can be a fatal error. Stay alert and engaged during your interview(s). Use your business intuition. If a hiring influencer mentions that fit is important, focus on how you fit the position perfectly. If they express concern that their opening will be a brief stepping-stone in your career path, emphasize the value you bring to their organization and your history of longevity and loyalty.
Greed. A serious interest in hiring you is a great place from which to negotiate, but it doesn’t indicate that an organization is willing to overpay. Know the job market in your industry and your area, and negotiate as cautiously as you would for a job you’re unsure of getting. While you may be an attractive candidate, you’re not the only candidate. This is another area where over-confidence can hurt you. Stay realistic and ask for what the market says you’re worth.
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