How to Get Hired in a Flooded Market

| 2010

Pro Pilot Viewpoint

Pete Agur, ATP, MBA, CAM

Managing Director & Founder

The VanAllen Group, Inc.

How to Get Hired in a Flooded Market

A client recently asked us to create a short list of candidates for two pilot positions. We ran an ad on the NBAA’s Jobs web page. We got 380+ responses. Nine made the cut. That means the traditional approach gets you a one in fifty chance of getting a shot at a job. Those odds suck. So, what can you do? Change the rules of the game. Here are five things that work:

1. Adjust your perspective. What will get you hired is WIIFT - What’s In It For Them! Are they looking for a throttle jockey or a wrench turner? That and a lot more. They are looking for a team member. A good citizen. A person who fills their needs. Your technical skills are likely to be less important than your people skills.

2. Pick you targets. Firing a shotgun into the sky with your eyes closed takes a lot of shells and is a great way to end up with buzzard for dinner. Choose 6-10 companies you know you’d be a great fit for. Make sure the geography, industry, company strength, and department’s culture and ethics are in alignment with what you want. Then stalk them.

3. Get to know them. Hiring a new employee is an expensive risk. Most managers prefer to hire someone they know because of WIIFT. That takes time and exposure. Visit your targeted employers at least quarterly. Better yet, get them to use you for fill-in work. If you’re leaning on the door when it opens, you’ll be the first one through.

4. Fix your resume. A list of past jobs doesn’t tell them much. A resume should tell them what you’ve done. After all, your past behaviors predict your future performance and that is WIIFT.

5. Tell them the time, don’t build a watch. When you are being interviewed be responsive and concise. Then ask them probing questions (WIIFT), and shut up and listen. Most important, be you. That is who they are hiring and that is who you want them to hire.

In the end, it isn’t about getting hired. It is about being a valued contributor. That’s What’s In It For Them, and for you.