By Jeff Altman, The Big Game Hunter
Robert Herjavec has discussed how to stand out on Shark Tank, I take that and convert it to job hunting.
Robert Herjavec from Shark Tank did a video recently where he talks about how to stand out on the show. Now, I think there are lessons for job hunters here. Let me just take these out.
Sorry. They’re useful. And I’m going to translate what Robert says into something for job hunters.
So, the first thing he talks about is the first 30 seconds. You know, the cast on the show, the Sharks, they’re all out there 12 hours a day, listening to pitch after pitch. They’re bored.
They’re tired. They’re hungry. You know, they don’t want to be there.
They’d rather be back in their business. But they’re committed to doing the show and doing it well. So, they come out and they put on a performance.
Sounds like many hiring managers you’ve talked with. They’re bored, tired, hungry. Some of them are interviewing multiple people a day.
Their staff is the same way. They’re distracted because they have other things to do. You have to engage them in the first 30 seconds.
Now, there’s a couple of ways to do it. Robert talks about how they walk into the tank. So, for you, it’s your approach to the hiring manager or the person who you’re interviewing.
How do you approach them? Now, in many cases, the first phone call, the first contact is by phone. So, it’s how do you respond to your calls? Now, you may be getting a call on a mobile. You’re looking at it and going, who the hell is that? You pick up with that same . . . like this is a Viagra salesman on the phone.
And lo and behold, it’s an HR person, a hiring manager, someone who’s doing screening for the manager who works in the department. You need to . . . while you’re in your job search, you need to be prepared to focus in on every time you answer the phone, this could be someone that you’re selling to. So, for the first moment you pick up, you answer, Hi, this is Jeff Altman.
How can I help you? And you speak with a certain style and aggressiveness that alerts people that you’re awake and not asleep at the switch. Next, when they introduce themselves, and this could be in person. Let me just do with phone right now.
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If they introduce themselves to you over the phone, you immediately lead them to, hey, thanks so much for making the call. Now, I remember the position description, but I’d like to get your take on the role. Could you tell me about the job as you see it and what I can do to help? So, that makes them talk about the job with you at the beginning of the interview.
So, mentally, you can get your switch turned off and be prepared to talk about what you’ve done that matters to them and not just simply talk about what you’ve done. There’s a difference in there between those two. Talk about what you’ve done that matters to them versus talk about what you’ve done.
Now, if it’s in person, remember, you’re walking in and you’re shaking hands with someone. There’s a certain presence and command that you have, especially if you’re a manager or above interviewing for position. Now, these lessons are all true, no matter where you are in an organization, but it’s particularly critical for people at a manager level or above.
Why? Because you’re a visible representative of the person who’s evaluating you, the VP, the director, the SVP, whoever it is, at a more senior level than you, you represent them. And if you come across like a slug, you don’t make it seem like they are going to be able to . . . you reflect poorly on your future boss. Let’s put it that bluntly.
And you present yourself poorly for yourself. You’re a bad representative for them and for you. So, it’s a turn off immediately.
And if you think force of ideas makes a difference, trust me, it’s a big world. It’s a big country. A lot of people are going to be as capable as you and present better.
So, don’t be a slouch with this. Dress well, present well. Now, Robert talks about, you know, there are people who walk in the tank, and they don’t know their numbers, and they help them.
And there are people who walk in who don’t know their numbers, and they beat the crap out of them. That’s the difference in how someone presents. Now, I want to be clear.
There are people who interpret what I’ve been saying as talking about being professional. I think in terms of being honest, open, effective, strong, prepared, a leader. I don’t care what level you are in an organization.
It doesn’t mean that you have to present as ruthless. You can be a nice person, be a nice person, and firms will like you and engage you. Now, I also want to say that there’s another thing that comes into play.
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And that’s the notion of engaging on a human level, how you speak to them as an honest individual who’s engaged and forthright and self-confident. Now, there’s the classic question of, tell me about yourself. So, I’ve already talked about, you know, thanks for making the call or thanks for meeting with me tonight.
You know, I recall the position description, but I want to get your take on it. Could you tell me about the job as you see it and what I can do to help? So, that’s the first thing you do. So, if you’re meeting them in person for the first time, and you’re sitting down in the chair and you ask that question, then when they get around to tell me about yourself or whatever equivalently languaged question they ask, here’s what I want you to follow up with.
It’s the standard answer to that question. But you need to do some homework. And this is the way I’d like you to continue on with it.
So, I’m sure a lot of people say similar things to you before. But what makes me different is . . . and then you talk about a difference maker for them. What makes you stand out from the other 25 people that they’ve talked to already about this job? I don’t care if you’re a recent grad, a college senior who’s preparing for his first job or in the C-suite looking for another position.
That’s the difference maker. That’s the thing that’s going to really get their attention. Figure out what your critical difference is.
And you can say things like, again, this is going to be a certain level of individual. You know, a lot of people say this kind of stuff to you before. But what makes me different is I’ve actually delivered on what I’ve talked about.
I’m someone who stepped into an organization with problems. And what I’ve done is . . . and you talk about how you took a disengaged organization and got them to reconnect. How did you do that? Well, often organizations with engagement problems, hired engaged people, but along the way, they got turned off by management decisions that they didn’t buy into.
So, I got there by . . . you see where I’m going with this? You think of a difference maker and then be prepared to talk about the follow up questions that would naturally come from that. So, it’s 30 seconds to get their attention. That first question, tell me about the roles you see and what I can do to help, is a great attention getter.
It follows up with another attention getter where you talk about your differences from the standard individual who walks in the door and have a prepared speech that really encapsulates how you are different and how it’s going to benefit them to have you around. If they don’t like the idea that you took a disengaged team, for example, and turn them into a productive organization because of how you reach buy in, hey, this isn’t a place for you, is it? I’m Jeff Altman, The Big Game Hunter. I hope you found this helpful.
Now, I want to also say that, for those of you who are looking for a job, one of the things people don’t learn how to do is how to market themselves. We’re in the school system. Are you taught how to find a job? Where do you learn about this stuff except through trial and error? Well, my site, JobSearchCoachingHQ.com, is a place where you can really do that.
I’ve got great information available for you. Plus, you can ask me questions through the site where I’ll answer them and help you deliver on your message. I’ll help you with your resume.
I’ll do a critique. I provide a discount for that service. I’ll help you with your interviewing.
I’ll suggest to you ways that you can approach different things, all as part of a package for the site. And if you want detailed work from me, well, I discount my coaching services dramatically in order to help people. So again, JobSearch.Community is the site.
Have a great day. Take care.
ABOUT JEFF ALTMAN, THE BIG GAME HUNTER
People hire Jeff Altman, The Big Game Hunter to provide No BS Career Advice globally because he makes many things in peoples’ careers
easier. Those things can involve job search, hiring more effectively, managing and leading better, career transition, as well as advice about resolving workplace issues. He is the host of “No BS Job Search Advice Radio,” the #1 podcast in iTunes for job search with over 3100 episodes.
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You will find great info to help with your job search at my new site, JobSearch.Community Besides the video courses, books and guides, I answer questions from members daily about their job search. Leave job search questions and I will respond daily. Become an Insider+ member and you get everything you’d get as an Insider PLUS you can get me on Zoom calls to get questions answered. Become an Insider Premium member and we do individual and group coaching.
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