Lots of job hunters, maybe even the majority, ask me what the single most important part of my work-search strategy is. Is there just one thing they should do to give them a definitive edge over everyone else who’s looking for a similar position? Well, there are three essential components of my system which are finding work opportunities, engineering personal introductions and controlling the job interview. Is one more important than the others? That depends on you and your aims but I’d say that nailing the interview usually comes at the top of the list.

The reason is simple. The interview is almost always a one-off opportunity, the moment you get your big chance to prove yourself in front of a hiring decision maker, so you can’t afford to mess up. But let’s get even more specific. Within the job interview, is there one single skill you should master to help you smash through any resistance to your pitch? Yes, I think there is and that thing is story. I’m going to talk about this in today’s episode and explain why I think you’ll be doing yourself an enormous favour if you can use story to persuade and influence other people.   

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When you’re job hunting, you need to think carefully about the specific actions you’ll be taking at different stages of the hiring process and designing a compelling interview pitch is one of the most important. This is when you get to make your case in front of a decision maker, so you need to be certain that you’re giving it your best shot.

But what does a great pitch actually look like? What’s the most effective way of constructing the material you’ll use to convince a recruiter that you’re the best person for the job? How should you avoid the traps and pitfalls that conventional interviews present? I’m going to give you the answers right here, in today’s job-search episode.  

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When you go into a crunch job interview, your primary objective is to receive an employment offer, most of the time at any rate. One of the best ways of doing this is to make a big impact upon the interviewer. Influencing the outcome of meetings, whether they’re job interviews or not, is a trait that’s highly-valued in the business world. Manipulation, in the sense that I use the word, is at the sharp end of influence and one of the most important of all interpersonal communication skills that any ambitious professional needs to master.

In today’s episode I want to analyse the concept of influence and manipulation and explain how to use it effectively. If you attend hiring meetings, you absolutely must ensure that you exert the maximum leverage over decisions that interviewers take, positively and in your favour of course. If you can do this well, you’ll be virtually guaranteed to succeed.         

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An important job interview is just around the corner so you need to get into character and think about how you’ll present yourself, the message you want to convey and the manner in which you can best deliver it. Much of this depends on the particular job you want to do, the employer you want to work for and the business problem you hope to solve – in some small way at the very least.

In addition to job-specific interview content that you’ve got to get your head around, there’s also core material that you should consider, things that are almost universal, irrespective of the employer, the business sector they occupy and the job role you aspire to. I’m thinking of the common traits that virtually every organisation needs to see in every single employee they hire. In today’s episode I’ll tell you what these are and why you should incorporate them into your interview presentation.      

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Job hunting can be a high-pressure situation, especially when it gets to the interview stage. However well prepared you are, whatever position you’re going after and irrespective of your strengths and weaknesses at interview, your immediate future is riding on a successful outcome. How confident would you feel if you knew that this strategy meant you could nail any job interview, comprehensively and convincingly? 

What’s the secret to interview success? Which strategy is most likely to deliver the goods when you’re facing off against a recruiter who’s got the power to offer you a lucrative work contract? All you have to do is take control of the interview and do the job, right there in front of the interviewer. This is what elite job interviewees do, and the best ones do it supremely well. Here's how they do it.

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Can you conduct a job search without relying on CVs, resumes and the rest of the usual application paraphernalia that you’re undoubtedly very familiar with? The quick answer is a resounding yes, and I’m going to tell you how and why.

Resumes and CVs hinder you rather than help you get a great job. There are six good reasons for this and you’re about to learn the ugly truth behind the great CV and resume con in today's episode.

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Getting your head around a different method of job hunting can potentially be tricky. There are new techniques to learn and various activities to complete as part of your preparation, not to mention some punchy presentation, negotiation and interview skills to master. Wouldn’t it be good to have a simple roadmap at your side that ensures that you’re on the right track at all times?

That’s the point of my three job-search principles of control, differentiation and authenticity. In this episode I’ll explain why they'll help you, plus a few extra ideas about differentiating yourself.

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If you were going to make a list of the most important components of an effective job search, what would come in at number one? A great resume or CV? Good experience and qualifications? A bunch of well-rehearsed answers to some predictable interview questions? No, none of these. The single most crucial aspect of any job hunt is agency, the ability to be in control of every decision and every action that you take.

In today’s Vocation Cast I want to explain why I say this, what agency means to you and how you can make control your best friend as you navigate the choppy waters of a job search.  

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Here’s a question for you. When you’re looking for a new job, or even if you’re going as far as designing a total career plan from start to finish, do you think it’s better to base your work on something you really like doing or should you concentrate on something you’re pretty good at? In other words, is it preferable to prioritise your passions or your skills?

Most people, when they’re given this binary choice, believe that following their passions is more likely to lead to fulfilling work, a higher salary and deliver better career prospects than subsuming their interests in favour of some pre-existing skills. In today’s Vocation Cast episode I’ll be analysing the skills versus passions argument, the conclusions of which might surprise you.

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Would you like to flip the odds decisively in your favour when it comes to any job search? Instead of allowing employers to select or reject you, which is what happens during nearly every conventional hiring procedure, would you like to be in control of every key stage of the hiring process? I’m guessing that you would and to do this properly, it’s essential to re-calibrate your attitude to a job search. A big part of this regards your perception of who holds the best cards in their hands. Is it you or is it the employer? The fact of the matter is that the choice is yours, depending on the job-search strategy you use. 

One of the most important things you can do is boost your confidence and self-belief by knowing your true value to an employer. You do this in two ways. First, by understanding how your unique skillsets intersect with an employer’s highest needs. Second, by developing a super-effective way of presenting these skills in the right way. An introduction to these things is the subject of today’s Vocation Cast episode, and honing these mental skills will go a long way towards giving you the upper hand in any job hunt.  

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