Jeremy Johnson has a new guest blog post this week on why you should not forget about those who are competing against you for jobs you apply for.
Jeremy is a recruiter in Kansas City for EHD Technologies, a recruiting, staffing and managed services company serving the IT, Engineering and Automotive industries.
You can also follow him on Twitter at jsquaredkc
The Job Hunt: Don’t Forget About Your Competition
Job seekers spend so much time focusing on getting the job itself that they often overlook one very critical thing, and that is all the other people who want the job, too! Remember, it’s not just about competing for the job; it’s also about outcompeting everyone else.
The reason I strongly believe this idea is important is this: it’s the small things that could make you or break you in getting the job you want.
Now, you may think that this is a distinction without a difference but I disagree. And the reason I disagree all comes down to what you focus on in your job search.
Here’s what I mean. When you submit your resume, is it going to be the most polished resume that hiring manager sees for that job? Will someone else outdo you? When waiting in the lobby for your interview, do you think other candidates will treat the receptionist nicely and engage her (or him) in pleasant but sincere conversation? Or, will everyone else ignore her?
The point is this: do the things that your competition won’t. Or, don’t forget to do the things that they might miss.
Competition may not be fun to consider, but keeping them in mind can make you better at what you do. Just look at the business world. Do you think Samsung would be where it is today with its smartphone technology if it wasn’t for Apple? Or what about the auto industry? Do you think the quality of today’s Ford cars would be where it is without Honda and Toyota making mincemeat of them in the ‘80s and ‘90s?
Competition forces you to do one of two things, either play catch-up with your competition or beat your competition. When it comes to your job search, your focus should be on beating the pants off of everyone else who wants that job. Just focusing on that can make a big difference in how you prepare and conduct yourself in your job search and interviews.
Trust me. I speak from experience on this one. I don’t have enough time or space to give you a history of my background, but let’s just say before I became a recruiter, I didn’t fit a job description on the planet. And since necessity is the mother of invention, I was forced to think about my competition because I simply couldn’t afford not to.
I got my first recruiting interview though a networking contact (a cheerleader who could influence a decision-maker, which is key in networking). Throughout the process, I was committed to doing everything better than anyone else interviewing for that job. I studied more about the company, so I could tell the hiring manager exactly why I wanted to work for his company. I had a very pleasant conversation with the receptionist, wrote down her name, and I addressed her by name as I both went back for the interview and left the office.
But here’s where thinking about the competition really forced me to do more than I would have otherwise. For this particular interview, I interviewed with four different people separately (two of whom tried to talk me OUT of the job!), I shadowed two other recruiters to learn more about their day-to-day duties, and I spoke to another manager informally. All in all, I was there for half a day, trying to keep my game face on while learning as much as I could from the recruiters. I was exhausted.
When I got home, I just wanted to take a nap. And that’s when I thought about my competition:
“Will they get their thank-you letters out right after the interview?” “Then I’ll get my thank you letters out right after the interview.”
“Will they email their thank-you’s?” “Then I’m going to handwrite my thank-you’s.”
“Will they send letters to just the interviewers?” “Then I’ll send one to each person with whom I had a significant conversation.”
“Will their thank-you letters be general?” “Then mine will be customized to each person.”
“Will they put their letters in the mail the same day?” “Then I’ll hand-deliver mine the same day.”
So instead of going home and taking a nap – which is what I wanted to do – I hand-wrote seven highly customized thank-you cards and delivered them to the company’s front desk that same afternoon.
Did that one thing put me over the top? I don’t know. I did get the job. But, the thank you cards wasn’t just a tactic for me. It was part of an overall mindset that I applied to every aspect of my job search, including the interview. And that mindset was this: how can I outcompete these other knuckleheads who want MY job?
Having that same mindset can help you in your job search, too.