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“Why Should We Hire You?” Your Answer Impacts Client Acquisition

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As you’ve figured out by now, an interview with a prospect who you hope will become your next client, is a sales pitch. In this scenario you, Freelancer friend, are both the product and the service. When you are being considered for a Freelance consulting assignment (or if you are an employee searching for a new job), the mission is to sell yourself—your brand—to the decision-maker(s) by demonstrating you are best in class. IQ/hard skills as evidenced by your education, professional expertise and experience and EQ/soft skills demonstrated by your work ethic, communication ability, teamwork skills and values when viewed together can predict with a high degree of confidence that project deliverables will be produced on time and within budget and, as well, contribute to a positive team experience that encourages productivity and camaraderie.

When hiring managers interview candidates to discuss project specs, a common tactic is to ask “Why should we hire you?” The question is quite helpful for decision-makers; they listen as the candidate basically sells him/herself and reveals who s/he really is. The insights that decision-maker(s) receive is known to promote selection of the right candidate. Prominent information that “Why should we hire you?” brings out includes:

  • Does the candidate grasp the importance of the project to the organization?
  • How might the candidate’s understanding of the relevance of his/her work contribute to realization of the project mission?
  • Which competencies and characteristics make the candidate stand out?
  • Might the candidate’s values and work habits be a good cultural fit with the project leader and team members with whom s/he will interact?
  • Does the candidate display enthusiasm and passion for the project and mission?

“Why should we hire you?” is usually one of the last interview questions asked, which means you can use your answer to sum up why you are the ideal candidate. Moreover, you can use what decision-maker(s) have said during the interview to your advantage. To that end, pay attention to competencies and qualities seemed to be especially important to the decision-maker(s) and as you reply to the big question, link your skills and experience to what matters to them. What do you say if “Why should we hire you?” is asked early in the interview? HR specialists recommend that you deflect and ask for more information about the role and include their language and priorities while describing your expertise, experience, work ethic and other factors that the decision-maker prioritizes.

Prepare for the question before the interview

Freelance consultants know that you are much more than a hired gun who operates with a narrow, “just the facts” mindset. It will be wise to obtain a big picture view of the project and gain an understanding of how the company will benefit from and utilize the project deliverables. Also search or inquire while in the interview the company’s history with this or or similar projects? The more you know, the more persuasive your answers and the more impressive you look to decision-maker(s).

Your best source for info that references the importance of the project and its mission to the company is certain to be the project specs. Give the document another read and pay attention to must-have and preferred professional skills and experience, as well as the expected project deliverables and/or outcomes. Item Two of your search could be “About Us” on the company website and Item Three might be the organization’s most recent annual report.

You will be much more authoritative and persuasive when you learn how company leaders visualize and measure achievement of their project mission. Don’t shy away from using their words to describe your own skills and values—chances are, they’ll love to hear it! Read on to learn how to compose a winning answer to a powerful, and common, interview question: “Why should we hire you?”

Elevator Pitch

A good elevator pitch is so useful. You can drop it in here and let it be the opening statement of your response to the Big Question. Remember that you get to sum up your qualifications and overall suitability and explain why you deserve to win this coveted assignment. Presenting your elevator pitch as the intro to your response sets the stage for a succinct and powerful statement that details your qualifications and experience and defends your ability to successfully produce the project deliverables.

Review and rehearse your pitch to ensure that your message will effectively reinforce your candidacy. Your pitch should be a 30-45-second well-articulated story that gives a brief introduction and overview of you and your work that tells decision-makers you can be trusted to deliver results and make them look good.

Competencies and success stories

When answering the question, link the project’s purpose, goals and desired outcomes to your ability to guide the project to a successful conclusion, as a key component of the strategy to distinguish yourself from other candidates. Lead with your most recent and relevant work to showcase your successes with previous projects that echo the aims of this project. Briefly share specific examples that illustrate why you should be hired. Rehearse your answers to ensure that your narrative is clear, concise and compelling. You’ll likely include some combination of the factors stated below.

  • Expertise. Educational degrees, professional certifications and work experience are proof of expertise. Providing examples of successfully working on similar projects will assure decision-makers that you are a competent and trustworthy candidate who can be expected to successfully produce the deliverables and/or desired outcomes (and make them look good).
  • Unique skills. Highlight relevant competencies and professional and/or volunteer experiences that make you uniquely qualified for the assignment and set you apart from other candidates. Some of your special skills do not need to be strictly job-related—maybe you have a pilot’s license, speak a foreign language fairly well, or sing in a choral group? The decision-makers may appreciate nearly any unique advantage that showcases you as an exceptional candidate.
  • Accomplishments. Communicate your appreciation for business imperatives and give the decision-makers yet another vote of confidence for your candidacy. If, for example, you include in your “Why should we hire you?” response that when you worked on a particular project you showed the client that it will be possible to reduce operating costs by 10%, or your work resulted in a 20% improvement in customer satisfaction ratings. If this was the case, share the good news in your reply.

Your vision of success

Recognize that “Why should we hire you?” is a gift that allows you to help decision-maker(s) visualize you in the role. For sure, it’s worth your while to envision yourself successfully performing in the assignment, so that you can create a powerful narrative that describes how you will bring about that success. Include in your vision narrative a description that is more than a recitation of your skills and education. Paint a verbal picture as well by describing examples of you working with their team, contributing to and supporting the purpose, goals, mission and/or bottom line associated with the project.

Your answer is short and sharp

As with all interview questions, deliver organized and concise replies and especially so when responding to this decisive question. Your answer must be easy to follow — not rambling— and presented logically. HR specialists suggest that point out three benefits associated with hiring you and conclude by emphasizing your genuine interest in the role and the company. Furthermore, convey your confidence by modulating your voice and body language in a way that communicates your command of the necessary skills and leadership ability. Speak slowly and clearly and use a friendly, yet professional, tone of voice and mannerisms as you discuss your unique suitability for the project.

Show Enthusiasm

Do not neglect to demonstrate your enthusiasm for working on the assignment. First off, the decision-maker(s) want to see it and second, it’s how you feel. You want this project, whether you’re motivated by the billable hours you’ll receive, the opportunity to work with a prestigious client, or access to an assignment that adds luster to your portfolio.

However you communicate your enthusiasm, make it memorable and personal. If you position this job as your dream job (assuming it is), the decision-maker will recognize and appreciate your enthusiasm (and energy) to take on the role and meet or exceed performance expectations.

Be Humble

A small dose of humility could be music to the ears of decision-maker(s), after listening to candidates tell them about how wonderful they are! When your answers are matter-of-fact and not obviously bragging, you come off as authentic and that’s a quality decision-maker(s) can appreciate.

Happy Holidays and thanks for reading!

Kim

Image: © fizkes/iStock

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Waiting For the Call—Is Time on Your Side?

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First, the email arrives and you’re elated. The conversation you had was on the level and the project you were told about is real. They’ve invited you in (virtually or in-person) to discuss how your services could be utilized to produce the deliverables and achieve must-do objectives. Step two, the interview goes well, from your perspective. You’re not naive, but you feel confident about the possibility of being offered the contract.

But a week slips by and then two-—crickets. Uh, oh, this doesn’t feel good! Why haven’t they gotten back?

Unfortunately, this is a fairly common occurrence. There are any number of perfectly understandable and valid reasons reasons that delay the follow-up after an interview. It’s nerve wracking for Freelancers, though, who are anxiously awaiting a status update. It’s something that can wake you up at night. The wall of silence leaves you to twist in the wind.

Well, take heart—silence doesn’t always signal rejection. Why don’t we talk about a game plan to help you survive post-interview silence when it happens to you? There are proactive questions you can ask that might make the interview team less likely to resort to a news blackout. There are coping strategies that can help you understand why this sometimes happens. Life is about managing expectations and you can train yourself to keep calm and carry on, confident that you’re still in the game and can still win this thing. Here are a few things that you can do:

Questions that encourage follow-up

Communicate to the interview team that you want follow-up and not silence by saying something like this to the interviewer, “In light of the candidates you’ve met with so far, do you see me moving forward in the selection process?” However, bear in mind that you could be the first of two or more Freelancers who’ve been invited to discuss the project. You could be a top candidate today but later get knocked down the list tomorrow by more experienced competitors who come along.

Another question you might ask the interviewer is, “When will you review and compare the candidates and make a recommendation to the the decision-maker?” Below are four common scenarios that might cause you to encounter post-interview silent treatment:

  • Interview recap

When you speak with more than one interviewer, they will need to conduct a candidate recap and debrief. Candidates may or may not be interviewed on the same days, which means that interviewers can’t share their feedback with each other on the same days either. Furthermore, every interviewer is not necessarily on time with providing feedback; it could take a few days to align interviewer calendars and schedule the debrief meeting.

The unexpected sometimes happens—-in the middle of the selection process, the decision-maker or one of the stakeholders might go off on vacation, depart on business travel, or come down with COVID. The selection process would be put on hold and the Freelancers get to wait and wonder what’s going on.

  • Project spec change

The desired outcomes or deliverables, time table or even the purpose might change, perhaps in response to economic fluctuations that impact the prospect’s business. Sometimes, unfortunately, your hoped-for project may be put on hold or even canceled due to the changing economy or business needs. This scenario can happen fairly often, as there are fluctuations and uncertainty in the economy that could impact revenue. Companies may reevaluate what they need and cut budgets.

  • Making an offer

The decision-maker could be discussing how to finalize an offer to someone — but maybe not with you. If you’re not the number one choice, you may be number two and will need to wait, in silence. However, should the top candidate reject the offer, the second round pick usually gets the prize!

  • Ghosting

If you’re getting silence from your interview contact no matter how often you reach out, you are being ghosted and it’s probably for one of the above reasons. Ghosting is selfish and cowardly, unprofessional and unacceptable. It hurts. Remind yourself that it says more about the interviewer than it does about you. They did you a favor, you don’t want to work for such people anyway. Apply elsewhere.

On the other hand, If the interviewer stays in touch, it’s guaranteed that you’re in the top two or three. If you’re told something like, “We’ll have some decisions made next week” and the debrief time frame has passed, either the decision-maker has not made the decision, or s/he offered the assignment to another candidate and they’re waiting for a response before rejecting you (because you are the second choice).

Silence can speak louder than words. When interviewing for a project assignment, be bold enough to ask questions to obtain information on where you are in the selection process. If you were invited to interview but ultimately didn’t get the assignment, that means your resume demonstrates your experience and your interview skills are solid, but you weren’t the top candidate. The rejection may have nothing to do with you , it may be more about interviewer preference for a certain educational degree or certification, a specific competency, or a competing candidate’s superior interviewing skill.

Thanks for reading,

Kim

Image: “Like sands through the hour glass, so are the days of our lives.”

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Self-Promotion that’s Savvy, Not Shameless

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If you do not put the word out about your talents, achievements and (perhaps discreetly) your ambitions, or if you do so ineptly, you are leaving money (and also a satisfying life, I think) on the table. Despite what some people would have you believe, no one finds success on their own. The self-made man is a myth. You are going to need some help along the way and to rally influential people to your side, you must let them know what you can do.

Bill Gates’ mother held a job at IBM that gave her access to a powerful person in the company, who agreed to meet with her son and his friend Paul Allen so that the two could explain the special project they were working on. As we know, their project eventually became Microsoft.

How to deliver your self-promotion

Effective self-promotion is a subtle and powerful communication skill. I consider it an art. It can be learned. Maybe we should start with what to avoid?

It’s frightfully easy to come off as obnoxious when telling others about how fabulous you are and the riveting details of your long list of magnificent, truly enviable, accomplishments. Most of us know that outright bragging is not cool, but we have also heard more than enough hyper-ambitious people pretending to be modest as they trot out a humble brag act at every opportunity.

Witnessing either spectacle usually induces an eye roll, if not a headache. But how can you show finesse and talk yourself up in a way that doesn’t turn off friends and colleagues?

A good Karma method is to be generous and share credit for your successes with those who helped you achieve them. There is a huge benefit associated with this generous act—- you gain allies. Your allies, because you’ve made it clear that you value them and their work, will be inclined to do you the enormous favor of promoting your magnificent achievements for you, which gives you much more credibility and influence than if you say it all yourself. So as you climb the ladder, not only will your allies help you, they’ll recruit more allies for the cause.

When to self-promote

Choose the politically correct time to self-promote. There are situations when one is expected to do so, but be aware that there are only so many opportunities available. Employees are invited to discuss their accomplishments at their annual performance review, when campaigning for a raise, or when seeking to interview for a promotion. Freelance consultants, when speaking with prospective clients or writing proposals with the aim of winning projects, are expected to spell out and sell their competencies, relevant experience and achievements.

What to promote

Make it known that you’ve earned a new educational degree or professional certification, the date, time and place of an important presentation you’ll deliver, or should you be invited to join a prestigious board.

Other self-promoting without penalty opps include announcing your appearance on a podcast, webinar, or panel. Announcing that you’ve written and published, or edited, a book is also a self-promoting bow you’re expected to take. Launching a workshop (that you must sell!) is another self-promotion gateway.

Where to self-promote

Especially since face2face events remain limited, savvy people know that social media is an acceptable self-promotion tool. Update your profiles as you upgrade your skills and announce your showcase events as appropriate.

Again, bring in some good Karma and acknowledge the achievements of your connections and contacts as they appear in your feed, so that your communication is not all outbound. Self-promotion, no matter how skillfully delivered, still requires good relationships in order to capitalize on your good work.

Thanks for reading,

Kim

Image: Steve Martin in The Jerk (1979) directed by Carl Reiner and written by Steve Martin

Professional Development , , 2 Comments

On Conducting an Interview

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Because you are an ambitious Freelance consultant, you regularly provide content marketing that showcases your expertise and reinforces your brand with current and potential clients and, when good fortune intervenes, motivates them to give you some much-needed billable hours.  As you plan your activities, you may at some point reach out to a fellow Freelancer, a good client, or another expert and ask to include that individual in your content marketing by way of an interview.  Featuring another perspective every once in a while keeps your marketing content fresh and more interesting to the audience.  I’m thinking of doing exactly that sometime soon, if my target interview guest is willing to speak with me on the record.  Stay tuned.

At some point in your professional life it is likely that you may decide, or be asked, to interview someone, so you would be wise to learn the process.  Successfully conducted interviews hinge on good preparation.  While some of us may feel that interviewing is an intuitive skill and that we should be able to manage the process spontaneously, that will not be the case.  You could probably muddle through, but why not take a couple of hours and learn how to get it right?

Think first of an interview guest to invite.  Who do you know who might tell a good story, or share some useful information that will be appreciated by your audience and does it seem possible that you’ll be able to convince that person to speak with you? 

Second, consider the basic interview format. Will your guest agree to a face-to-face Q & A that will be required for a video, or will it be a phone interview that is suitable for your podcast, blog, or newsletter? Email interviews often do not produce the best results according to many journalists. 

Third, brainstorm questions or topics that might be interesting to your audience and play to your guests’ strengths. You may want to write up a list of potential questions, or make note of possible topics. Visit the Twitter feed, Facebook page, LinkedIn profile and conduct an internet search to find out what may have been written by or about your proposed guest.

Invite your potential interview guests in a phone call. Some requests require a more personal approach than email.  Immediately upon reaching an agreement with your guest, send a confirmation email.  Two or three days in advance of the interview, send a second email to confirm the interview time and place and specify whether a phone call or in-person meeting will take place.

In all formats, introduce the guest to your audience and give a brief bio. If your interview will be video or podcast (audio), welcome your guest warmly and thank him/her for agreeing to appear. Your audience needs to hear, and see, this greeting. If the interview will appear in text you will still give a warm welcome and thanks and that exchange will appear in print.  

As you ask questions be friendly and upbeat, to help your guest to feel comfortable and safe.  Avoid “gotcha” questions designed to make the guest feel judged. Keep your mouth shut and practice active listening as you take notes as the guest speaks  (you can record as well and if you plan to do that, ask permission).  If you hear a particular word, phrase, or aspect of the topic that piques your curiosity or seems to give unexpected insight into the question, enter it into your notes and then ask a follow-up question. In this way, your interview will become a conversation, rather than a stilted Q & A session.  The best interviews are what seem to be a relaxed and intelligent conversation between the host and guest.

FYI, it is sometimes necessary to ask the same question two or even three times, in different ways, to persuade your guest to give a complete answer. It’s important to build rapport throughout the interview to make the subject feel comfortable sharing information.

You may need to nudge the interview back on track if your subject goes off on a tangent, in particular if this is a video or podcast conversation.  A useful phrase could be, “How does that relate to the big picture”? Conversely, you might draw out more information from a reticent guest when you ask, “Do you have a story that will illustrate your point”? At the end of the interview, thank your guest for participating and enlightening the audience.

If the interview will appear as a podcast or video, your guest may appear for 15 – 20 minutes, unless his/her topic is especially compelling.  If you are interviewing for your blog or newsletter, 15-20 minutes is probably still a good time limit for the conversation. Overwhelming your guest or audience is to be avoided.

Interviewing a guest for your chosen content marketing platform will build your audience and enhance the brand of your guest as well.  Create a win-win situation for you and the guest by carefully considering the benefits that will accrue to each of you through the proposed interview and be sensitive also to the interests of the audience.

Thanks for reading,

Kim

 

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Media Training Gives You Media Savvy

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Journalists are constantly on the lookout for interesting and engaging stories that will become the relevant content that consumers of their visual, print or online outlets seek out. Freelance consultants must always encourage the existence of confidence in our abilities and media exposure may be employed to help us to achieve that aim. We must become adept at the art of selling ourselves, that is our capabilities, to target audiences through various media channels. When we make ourselves available for commentary tin the media, we position ourselves in a very powerful way and assume the mantle of authority in our subject.

To maximize the benefits derived from your media exposure, explore ways that you might receive some media training.  Media training will make you much more effective in your interactions with journalists and the technology and teach you how to get your message across succinctly and with impact.  You will be on your way to becoming an effective spokesperson and journalists will return to you again and again for expert commentary on issues in your field.

Speak in a way that builds confidence in your expertise

Our body language, tone of voice and vocabulary help us to deliver our message in a positive and powerful way. When speaking on television, facial expressions and body language can overtake the value of verbal content. As example, think of political debates, televised or not. Many politicians have been declared the winner of debates primarily on their communication style. That their action items were noticeably weaker than their less glib opponent gets lost in the shuffle.

Learn how to best define and communicate your key messages

Being savvy with body language and facial expressions and knowing how to look into the camera are all good, but it’s even better when we have a relevant message or information that is communicated clearly and concisely. Media training will teach you how to speak in “sound bites” : short, easy to remember statements that focus on outcomes and information that concerns the audience, spoken in language that resonates with the audience. Three points seems to be the magic number that audiences will recall in days that follow the interview.  Once you’ve enumerated your messages, you can loop back and reinforce them throughout the interview.

Anticipate difficult questions and learn to design a clear and credible response

Journalists often take a perverse pleasure in throwing interview subjects a question that might stop them cold or undermine their message. The journalists want to maintain credibility with their audience by showing that they’ve done their homework and demonstrating that don’t traffic in powder puff interviews. Media training will prepare you for challenging questions and help you learn how to anticipate the difficult questions that might be asked and to finesse your way out of tight spots, whether or not you expected that line of questioning. This skill above all others will help you to feel confident as you step into the interview.

Learn how to control your interview

The interview subject is always in control. Media training will teach you how to assert your dominant position, graciously. First, those who have clear answers that are communicated well are able to steer the interview in a direction that benefits them.  This is a subtle and yet hugely important skill. One can never stop practicing. A very close second is that through media training, one learns to maintain composure, which is a defining element of trust, the appearance of competence and professional stature. S/he who maintains composure can create the outcome that is desired.

Reduce the chance of being misquoted

Under no circumstances do you want your message to be misinterpreted in any way. Being unprepared for an interview leaves one in a very vulnerable position. Credibility and reputation are at risk. Learning, practicing and perfecting the skills of defining the most important points of your message; delivering the message in “sound bites” that help the journalist as well as the audience to understand your position; learning how to control the interview;  and learning how to finesse difficult questions, all the while maintaining your composure, will make you an in-demand media darling whose brand and billable hours will be greatly enhanced.

Thanks for reading,

Kim