The Five Hiring Hurdles
Many job seekers don’t think of themselves as sales people. The reality is that you’ve now found yourself in the business of selling yourself. As the Director of Sales for You, Inc., it’s important to stay optimistic while balancing your outlook with doses of reality. So here’s a sales person’s reality check. It’s a look at the hiring process from the other side of the desk.
Before you can successfully land a new job, you must successfully clear each of five hurdles. All of the optimism and positive thinking in the world will not get you past these. If you don’t see them coming, you’ll likely stumble.
So it’s important to be aware of this critical checklist of deal makers.
1. Access to the Decision Maker
Unless you have an opportunity to meet with the primary hiring decision maker. (with hiring authority), there is NO chance that you will be hired for an executive position.
2. Problems / Challenges to be Solved
While you may believe that your talent is too good to pass up, the hiring decision maker(s) must have a need that you can fill. No need = No offer.
3. Money / Budget
Your talent has a market value. It also has a value at your target employers. In the interview process, you may need to help the decision makers to quantify the value of your talent and the position by making a business case that shows them the ROI for hiring you.
4. Timing
What is the opportunity cost of maintaining the status quo for the potential employer? If they can afford to wait, they likely will. How might you help them to figure this out?
5. A Belief that YOU are the Best Fit to Solve Their Problems and Challenges
Last but not least, you need to demonstrate to the decision makers that you understand their situation and are uniquely qualified to do the job like no one else they will find.
Good News / Bad News
The Bad News: There are no short cuts. Each of these hurdles must be cleared for you to cross the finish line ahead of your completion.
The Good News: Now that you’re aware of these hurdles, your task is to hone your skills at both recognizing and clearing each of them. Like any successful hurdler, practice make perfect.
“So You’re Sayin’ There’s a Chance”
Optimism is important in a job search journey. But blind optimism creates false hope. If you’re aware that you must check off each of these five boxes, you will level out your emotional roller coaster that comes from rejection.
There is a valuable sales axiom for sales people who fear losing a sale:
“You can’t lose something that you never really had.”
Unless it is possible for you to clear all five hurdles, you never really had a chance.
