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How to become the person everyone wants to interview So you’re interested in changing roles. How can you make sure that you’re the person everyone wants to interview? Often employers can have expectations that a particular interviewee will be a strong candidate. If you can influence the employer to anticipate this of you then this will massively increase your likelihood of securing the position for which you’re applying. Apply for a role that’s relevant to your skills and experience. This may sound obvious but many candidates explain that they’re likeable, can sell themselves in an interview and can convince the interviewer to offer them the role. That’s all very well but one has to make it to the interview in the first place. If certain experience is required in the job description then you can bet you’ll be up against other candidates who have those qualifications.  Be realistic: it’s not just about how good you are. It’s about how good you are in comparison to others. The only addendum here to add is that you can perhaps challenge the requirement of multiple years’ worth of experience, but only if your experience is relevant, sufficient and you can demonstrate you’re a quality candidate. Make your CV directly relevant to the role for which you’re applying. Many candidates apply for more than one type of role with only one version of their CV.  This is a mistake. You may have one work history but you can choose to place greater emphasis on different parts of the history. If you’re applying for a sales role then highlight the sales successes, performance against target, etc. I’ve written a previous blog about writing the perfect CV that provides further detail but the key point here is to talk directly to your interviewer’s needs. If possible, research the interviewer and apply with a relevant covering letter. Your aim is to stand out from the crowd. How many candidates apply with their CV plus a covering letter directly written for the attention of the interviewer that references the interviewer’s work history and how it might intertwine, or be relevant, to their own? That’s right, none. But put yourself in the shoes of the interviewer: how impressed would you be if you received such a covering letter? Be available for interview at the employer’s discretion If you can only attend an interview at 8 am or 18.00 then how much do you want the job? This sends out signals to the employer that they are not your priority. You have to make the time even if it means taking a half-day’s holiday. You can always create a gap between the two jobs to make up for ‘lost’ annual leave. Graduates – try to gain some kind of internship or work history So many graduates are intelligent, gregarious and work hard. They’re the potentially perfect employee. However, for every employer they’re also a risk. How does the employer know they’re cut out for phone sales? How does the graduate know themselves? Neither party can know. If you can demonstrate any kind of experience then this will reassure the employer and improve your chances of being hired. To conclude … In writing this blog I didn’t realise it was going to be about ‘being relevant’. However, ‘sales’ is all about being relevant. If poor sales means telling your listener everything then good sales means only relaying those parts that they wish to hear. Keep it relevant.

Post Author: Ewan McKay

Ewan runs a recruitment business specialising in sales jobs and marketing jobs for media companies.