Becoming an Asset in the Hiring Process
“Nobody gives a sh*t about your resume,” Joe Koufman, CEO and Founder of Setup blatantly stated in an interview with Hard Corps marketing.
Of course resumes matter, but during the interview process, there are other determining factors that supervisors consider...especially since they’re overwhelmed with a number of applicants who all look the same.
How can marketers differentiate themselves during the interview process?
Be an asset, not a liability.
Show how your specific skills can fill the role that is being asked of you.
How can you do this?
If you’re in an interview, or even if you’re looking at changing roles or departments in your company, ask the hiring manager/potential manager about gaps or where they need help in their current workload. Providing solutions or suggestions utilizing your expertise may position you as a suitable candidate for the position.
Even if there is not an opening at the time, being a resource to people you want to work with or for keeps you top of mind for future openings.
Always connect with the people from an interview or networking process and keep tabs with them down the line to stay front of mind.
Demonstrate your strengths.
Hiring managers hire for potential. Are you eager, flexible, and capable of applying different experiences to certain situations?
How can you do this?
Articulate your strengths in relation to the desired role. You don’t need to have majored or worked in marketing before to excel in it. Plenty of marketers have unconventional paths. Hiring managers are looking at whether or not you can apply that previous knowledge to what they need.
Resume guides that give tips on how to mimic the job application verbiage in your resume are available online to help candidates get through the door. But, you have the power to tell your real story through a unique resume or during the interview process.
Live the values you seek in a desired company.
Companies are looking to hire candidates who add to and expand the culture under the company’s values. It is also easier on the candidate to work for a company that has similar values to their personal beliefs.
How can you do this?
Research the company and ask questions about the team during the interview to make sure the values align with your belief system. If they do, showcase how you apply each of those values day to day or in your previous work.
Stand out from other potential candidates.
In the full interview, Joe cites multiple examples of people who went above and beyond to get noticed and hired by their dream companies like Amazon and Headwave through innovative approaches.
How can you do this?
Be the solution. Format your resume in a visual or specific format specific to the ideal company or create your own content/campaign to get noticed.
Listen to the full interview at Hard Corps Marketing. If you’re currently looking to fill a role or are looking for a marketing position, check out our recruiting services.
Marketers graduating from college often ask me whether they should pursue client- or agency-side opportunities for their initial job out of college. I tell them that in the long term, it is always best to get experience with both, but initially, a stint on the agency-side provides more opportunities to learn about different marketing roles, industries, and experiences than the client-side.
Joe Koufman, Founder and CEO of Setup, the matchmakers bridging the gap between agencies and brands, and Andrea Striebel, the VP of Marketing for Floor & Decor, share their thoughts on agency- vs client-side careers.