What can you do for a hiring manager?
When you’re given an opportunity to interview with a company you’re probably thinking about yourself. How much money will it pay? What will be my responsibilities? Will I get a chance to be promoted? While it is important to determine if this opportunity is right for you , it’s just as important to tell the hiring manager what’s in it for them if they hire you for the position.
One of your goals in an interview should be to determine what the needs of the company and the hiring manager are and then clearly tell them why you meet their needs.
How can you do this? First, listen carefully to what the interviewer is saying and asking. He/she will probably give you a list of the requirements, responsibilities, and goals associated with the position. Take this information and formulate some statements about your background, skills and experience that demonstrate how you can meet the interviewer’s needs.
Second, ask pointed questions to uncover this information. Ask the interviewer specific questions about the role this person will play in the company and the goals and objectives of the position. Ask him/her what the top three priorities will be for the person hired.
Next, don’t make the interviewer guess that you can fill the role he/she needs filled – come right out and tell them! You can do this if asked the question “why should I hire you” or as a summary at the end of the interview. Go back to the top three goals and objectives of the position and clearly state how your background makes you the right person for this position.
One final way you can tell the hiring manager what’s in it for them is in your thank you letter. This is a great opportunity to emphasize your strengths and how they can work for the benefit of the company in general and the hiring manager specifically.