Are You The Solution?

Are you the solution that an organization is looking for? You better be if you want to compete for the jobs that are available in the market. Yes, there are jobs. It is harder to get one these days, but they are available If you are the solution to a problem that an organization is experiencing. As challenging as it is to find a job, you are much more likely to get one of those jobs as a problem solver than just a job seeker.

The problem for most job seekers is that they walk into an interview, hoping they are going to get a job. Hoping that someone will like them enough to hire them. But it is not about that. It s not about whether they like you. Are you the solution they need for the problem they face? If the answer is “no”, than you already have the answer to whether you will actually see a job offer come from the organization.

If you want to become a solution to problems organizations face, do your homework. Research organizations you are interested in. Study them, and locate places within the organization that you would fit, where you would add value and where you can solve problems for them. Invest your time in learning about organizations. When the opportunities present them self and you have an opportunity to discuss your qualifications with a hiring manager, talk to them about how you will add value. Help them understand what you know about their organization and how you can solve problems for them.

Keep in mind that you never have to frame your discussion using statements like, “I know what problems you are facing.” What you will do is learn to take the questions they ask and your skill set and align them by sharing similar problems you have solved in other organizations. Be prepared to share success stories. Be prepared to discuss your ability to assess problems. Be prepared to share how you are a problem solver.

The entire climate of the interview will change. What will happen is that the conversation will change from a q & a discussion to a dialog about their concerns, and your ability to share diagnostically how you can solve them. Prepare good questions, so that if you don’t have the opportunity to share everything you want to share, your questions can open up discussion points. The hiring manager begins to trust you as you speak intelligently about their organization and about your skill set. They will open up and you then get the opportunity to speak as a consultant in the midst of the interview. What ever information you give them becomes seed for their decision making process. As they contemplate who will be the best candidate for the job, you become a contender. You become one that the hiring manager will consider when determining who to hire. You are the solution to someone’s problem. Make sure you are the solution to an organization that you want to work and you will see opportunities open up to you.

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