As many of you well know, real life often serves as the basis for the articles and blog posts that I write. And that is once again the case with this blog post.
However, the real-life situation on which it is based doesn’t necessarily have anything to do with the Animal Health industry or the Veterinary profession. But don’t worry: I’ll make the connection eventually. But first, my real-life story . . .
A good movie and a better question
The other night, while I was traveling on business, I flipped through the channels to see what was on television. If you know me well, then you know that I rarely watch TV. In fact, in my opinion, TV is one of the biggest time wasters known to the human race. Not only that, but I also don’t have much time to watch it, so I rarely turn it on. Usually, the only time I do is when I’m traveling and sitting in bed late at night working on my laptop computer.
So while I was flipping through the channels, I came across a movie starring Mel Gibson and Helen Hunt titled What Women Want. In the movie, Mel Gibson’s character, an advertising executive, accidentally receives an electric shock bordering on electrocution. Because of this accident, he’s able to hear the thoughts of the women around him, including Helen Hunt’s character, who just happens to be his boss. This got me thinking:
Wouldn’t it be nice if you, the job seeker, could get inside the mind of what a hiring manager at your employer of choice is thinking?
I imagine your answer to that question would be a resounding “Yes!”
The benefit of 20 years of experience
Well, as a search consultant who has consulted with hundreds of employers and hiring managers over the past 20 years, I have good insight into what hiring managers are thinking. After all, I talk with them on a daily basis. I talk about what their organization needs in terms of hiring and what they want in terms of candidates. As a result, I have been able to “get inside their heads” through thousands of phone calls and years of in-person conversations.
And as a bonus, I did not have be nearly electrocuted to make it happen.
The good news is that YOU as job seekers and candidates can be the beneficiaries of all this information and insight. You can put it to strategic use for your career.
Now, before movies are released in the theater, the studio associated with the movie first releases what are called “trailers.” These are previews of the film that are designed to entice you to want to watch the movie. It just so happens that I have a trailer of my own, one for a movie by the title of What Employers Want.
What DO employers want?
The trailers that I’m presenting here are based upon my recent conversations with hiring managers at employers within the Animal Health industry and Veterinary profession. In fact, I’m going to present two previews that illustrate What Employers Want.
One hiring manager said the following about a candidate: “We know him and he does business the old school way. He is not adaptable or flexible or able to do business in today’s marketplace.”
Another hiring manager said the following to me during our conversation: “I need someone who is fast paced, can keep up, and is able to be flexible and to adjust.”
From those two encounters alone, you can get a pretty good idea of what employers are seeking when it comes to candidates in today’s market. In summary, they want candidates who are:
- Adaptable and flexible
- Able to work in a fast-paced environment
- Nimble and able to adjust as the company pivots and grows
- Not entrenched in old-school thinking as it applies to present-day challenges
Those are the things I am hearing most often from hiring managers and employers. How can you use this information to conduct a better and more effective job search? How can you use it when building your resume? How about during the face-to-face interview?
Mel Gibson’s character certainly found the information he had useful to him. You can, too.
Your recruiter’s great supporting role
This is part of the value that a recruiter can provide for you. An experienced recruiter with a history of success in your chosen field could play a great supporting role in your career. They can provide you with not only information, but also advice regarding what to do with that information and how to use it.
However, you must do more than just submit your resume to a recruiter (although that’s a great start.) You must be willing to build a professional relationship with that recruiter. You must be willing to tell them the goals that you have for your career, the companies for which you’d like to work, and what you want the most in an employment opportunity.
It’s only when a recruiter has such information that they can help you to “climb the ladder” of career success. (Now of course, this also means that you have to be a good fit for the recruiter’s search. It’s all about timing and the recruiter having the right job at the right time that fits your qualifications and your career goals.)
Because while I might know what’s inside the mind of a hiring manager, I’m not really a mind reader. I can’t read your mind, which means I won’t know what it is that YOU want unless you tell me. But when I’m armed with that information, I can become a consultant and an ally in your quest for career growth and satisfaction as suitable opportunities come across my desk.
What Employers Want is a movie that you should know inside and out. And if what YOU want is to grow your career in the most satisfying way possible, then consider aligning yourself with a recruiter in your chosen field. They have the knowledge, they have the experience, and they have the expertise to find out the information you need—and how to use it.
We help support careers in one of two ways: 1. By helping Animal Health and Veterinary professionals to find the right opportunity when the time is right, and 2. By helping to recruit top talent for the critical needs of Animal Health and Veterinary organizations. If this is something that you would like to explore further, please send an email to stacy@thevetrecruiter.com.