How to Get Hired By a Great Employer
In conjunction with Fortune’s latest list of the best 100 companies to work for, Fortune Magazine published some tips for those looking for career opportunities with these employers. Here are their suggestions. (Commentary is my own.)
It helps to know someone.
This probably doesn’t surprise you…It seems as if all the best jobs are filled through a contact. The truth is, networking accounts for about 70-80% of all jobs. The fact that almost all of the top 100 Fortune employers rely heavily on employee referrals is not unusual. However, not all of those are necessarily what I like to call “brother-in-law” connections. Networking includes “loose” contacts – those you “meet” online via social networking, people you know from professional associations, but only see once a year and others who share a general connection. This is a great reason to join GreatPlaceJobs and to take advantage of membership to our linkedin group: GreatPlaceJobs Network.
You’ll want to get in at the ground floor of this new network that will include people who already work in great organizations, recruiters and job seeking professionals who have subscribed to GreatPlaceJobs. (Your subscription comes with a lifetime membership to the network.) You never know who will be the contact that helps you land a job!
Play up volunteer work on your résumé.
It’s easy to learn what these great companies value by reviewing their websites and studying their mission statements. Many are heavily involved in their communities, and appreciate hiring people who have similar values. If that’s you, be sure to hone in on this in your resume!
Get ready to interview and interview… and interview.
While every company is different, many great employers put applicants through a very rigorous interview process. Some find themselves involved in a serious of 12 to 15 one-on-one chats or one long interview with a panel of up to 50 current employees. If this is your experience, take the opportunity to really stand out: ask for business cards from everyone, make mental (or actual) notes about the interview immediately following (maybe during a bathroom break) and write targeted thank you notes to every interviewer.
Unleash your inner storyteller.
Be prepared for a behavioral interview. You’ll need to have stories to share to illustrate your successes and how you overcame obstacles. I like to advise clients to prepare some Situation, Task, Action, Result (STAR) stories.
Do creative research.
One of the biggest pet peeves recruiters mention is unprepared applicants. The Fortune article suggests you go beyond the Google search. Jay Jones, recruiting manager at Alcon Laboratories says: “Detailed research, including talking to our customers, is so rare it will almost guarantee you get hired.”
No lone rangers need apply.
Great employers favor team players. Adobe’s recruiting director Jeff Vijungco actually counts how many times applicants use the word “I” in an interview! He says, “We’d much rather hear ‘we.‘” Keep this in mind for your cover letter as well…Don’t overdo on the “I did,” “I accomplished,” etc.
If you’ve moved around a lot, be ready to explain why.
While most young job seekers change positions frequently, Fortune notes that most of the top 100 companies are “looking for people who want to build a career over the long haul.” So, mentioning that you hope to use the job as a stepping stone to something else is not a great bet!
Be open to learning new things.
Many of these great employers consider themselves great training grounds. They may expect to play off of your skills and enthusiasm, but wish to teach you in the process. So, insisting that you already know it all will not fly!
If at first you don’t succeed, don’t give up.
The Fortune article notes that “Almost every Best Company keeps track of what FedEx calls “silver medalists” – people who barely missed getting hired – and alerts them to new openings.” Especially if you make a connection with someone during the process, keep in touch. Register with the company’s online system and be persistent (but polite) when touching base.
Don’t coast on their reputation.
Make sure there’s a reason for you to apply to an organization beyond the fact that they are award winning! If the answer the question, “Why should we hire you?” is something along the lines of, “Because I heard you offer free food, a great gym and flexible hours,” you aren’t going to get very far!
Tags: best employers, GreatPlaceJobs, how to get hired by a great employer, tips to win job in top 100 companies
November 24th, 2008 at 8:32 pm
Great article Miriam! Networking is definitely the way to go when you are looking for a good job in a great company. It is also an indication one has social skills and can carry on conversations and work with people when someone successfully navigates through the networking environment. Not as a manipulative skill, but as a way to work with people. Social networking is a two way street. One should always try to help others who are trustworthy employees because you never know when the favor may be returned. Even if the favor is never returned it is still the right thing to do. Thanks for providing such a great blog.
November 24th, 2008 at 10:23 pm
Kevin – Thanks for reading and commenting! I’m a big fan of networking, and there’s no question that it is the best use of a professional’s career building efforts. That’s why I am so excited to be building our GreatPlaceJobs Network!
The fact is, we all have something to offer, and it is great to have places to share expertise and ideas.
I appreciate your kind words and look forward to keeping in touch!