Why You Need to Think Like an Interviewer When companies hire a job candidate, they're making a big investment.

By Alex Freund

This story originally appeared on Personal Branding Blog

Shutterstock

To start with, I must make an important disclaimer. I am not a psychologist but a career coach. I don't find it surprising that there is much in common between the two professions, and I have lots of stories to prove it. If you happen to be in transition, you may want to understand the psychology of the decision makers. It would be useful ammo you could deploy in order to promote yourself in landing a job.

Related: How to Negotiate a Job Offer

Barnes & Noble has shelves and shelves of books on the subject of finding a job. I'm going to spare you from having to read several of those books. I want to focus on your need to start accepting change. It's a known fact that our comfort zone lies within what we know. People exhibit various degrees of resistance to change. But when you're in- transition, you'd better embrace change, because if you resist, the world will go by and you'll get left behind.

First, accept the fact that your old r?sum? that you just updated needs much, much more work. It needs to be revamped for today's contemporary look and for projection of your accomplishments -- not a listing of activities that someone in your position was expected to perform. I read r?sum?s every single day, and the reluctance I see on the part of people who stick to the old style and content is a shame. Hiring managers and human resources people are interested in your accomplishments and what you excelled at and not what kept you busy. Recruiters are even more interested, since they have to sell you to hiring managers.

Related: 6 Logical Tips to Finding a Job

The next area of resistance I see is among those who stick to their own old ways and don't jump in with both feet by using social media. They simply underestimate to what extent social media is being used by hiring managers, human resources staffers and outside recruiters. Those hirers consult those social media for several reasons. The most important one is probably that it's free versus their having to pay significant amounts of money to Monster, CareerBuilder and others. In addition, social media enable them to cross-check information about you. People spend an inordinate amount of time and effort to make their r?sum? just right. But not so with information on social media such as LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter.

Related: 10 Interview Tips for Tech Companies

Please understand that when companies hire a job candidate, they're making a big investment. And so, they must do their due diligence, which is similar to what you do when you're considering a big investment or a decision. A part of that due diligence involves finding out more information about you than what you intended to provide via your r?sum?. My advice to people seeking employment is to become knowledgeable about and active with social media and at the same time to be careful of what they post in cyberspace. Whatever it is, make sure you're consistent. A significant discrepancy between your r?sum? and your cyber persona could be very detrimental.

Alex Freund, known as the “landing expert,” supports job seekers into employment. He is known for making people feel comfortable when interviewing. 

Want to be an Entrepreneur Leadership Network contributor? Apply now to join.

Buying / Investing in Business

Former Zillow Execs Target $1.3T Market

Co-ownership is creating big opportunities for entrepreneurs.

Business News

Most Major Retailers Are Open on Memorial Day, Except One. Here's What's Open and Closed This Monday.

From grocery stores to warehouse retailers, here's what to know about Memorial Day closures.

Business News

New AI Model Will Likely Blackmail You If You Try to Shut It Down: 'Self-Preservation'

When given the choice between blackmail and being deactivated, Claude Opus 4 chose blackmail 84% of the time.

Starting a Business

I Had 'Too Much Experience' to Find a Job. So I Used Facebook to Start a Small Business That's Making About $500,000 a Year.

After Amber Starling moved to Manhattan, Kansas, a frustrating job search led to a life-changing business opportunity.

Business Ideas

70 Small Business Ideas to Start in 2025

We put together a list of the best, most profitable small business ideas for entrepreneurs to pursue in 2025.

Business News

'Continuing to Hire': Duolingo's CEO Clarifies AI Stance After Backlash — Read the Memo

Duolingo CEO Luis von Ahn said he has already spoken to employees internally but wanted to share the summary with the public.