If you’re looking for a job, you need to use this simple template
Source: Fast Company – work-life
Author: Judith Humphrey
One of the biggest challenges for job seekers is communicating successfully at every stage of the search process: networking, interviewing, crafting a résumé, providing a cover letter, and writing a thank-you note.
How do you make sure you are speaking with clear and confident messages? My new book, The Job Seeker’s Script, provides a single template for crafting every script you’ll deliver. It enables you to structure each conversation and written document, so you won’t find yourself wondering what to say next.
You can use this template to prepare all of your pitches, whether you’re speaking or writing. This template has four elements, represented by the acronym H-I-R-E. Use it to draft what you want to communicate and you will come across as a persuasive job candidate.
BEGIN WITH A HOOK
The starting point of any successful conversation or written document is a “hook.” It reaches out to the person you are approaching. Think of it as a verbal handshake.
In a networking conversation, your hook might be, “Thank you for taking the time to meet with me.” If you are in a job interview and your hiring manager says, “Tell me about yourself,” your hook might be “I’d be glad to.” Each of these hooks creates rapport with the person you’re talking to.
A hook is also the first component of your written scripts. A cover letter might begin: “I am applying for the position of data manager and am excited about the prospect of working for your company.” If you’re sending a thank-you note, the hook could be: “It was great to meet with you today and learn about the opportunities at your company.”
In your résumé, the hook is the contact information at the top of the page. It should engage your reader. To that end, put your name in large, bold 18- to 24-point type and in smaller type provide relevant information like your LinkedIn and address, phone number, and professional portfolio or website. This information connects the reader with you.
Whether you’re speaking or writing, this hook or “handshake” creates a bond between you and the person you’re communicating with. So make it warm and inviting.
NEXT, INSPIRE WITH A MESSAGE
After the hook, get to your point and deliver an inspiring message. This is your central idea. Formulate it carefully and keep it to one sentence. That way your listener will easily grasp your main point.
Suppose you are in an internal job interview. Your message might be, “I believe I am well prepared for this position because it builds upon my accomplishments in human resources.” Or “The seasoned leadership I bring to this role makes me an excellent fit for this position.”
In a cover letter your inspiring message might be, “My experience, passion, and track record have prepared me for this role.”
In a résumé, your inspiring message is the summary statement you place at the top of the page just after your name and address. For example: “[I am] a senior manager with a decade of experience overseeing information security.”
Your main message enables you to come across as a focused, thoughtful, well-prepared, and inspiring candidate.
REINFORCE YOUR MESSAGE
The third component of the HIRE template involves reinforcing your message with proof points.
These points can be “reasons” or “ways” that support your message. Or you might choose to reinforce your message by showing a progression from “situation” to “response.” Or take a chronological approach as you describe phases in your career.
Suppose your message is “The seasoned leadership I bring to this role makes me an excellent fit for this position.” Your reinforcing points would show why your seasoned leadership makes you the ideal candidate. Or you might illustrate the chronological development of your leadership. The important thing is to provide two to four proof points for your message.
The same holds for the written documents you send. For example, in your résumé, you’ll want reinforcing points that expand upon your summary statement. So create a statement for each job you’ve held. These statements should align with and prove your summary statement.
END WITH ENGAGEMENT
The fourth and final element of a winning script is the call to action, which engages the person you’re speaking or writing to. It’s important to ask for a commitment from a networking contact or employer.
Conclude with a call to action that points to the next step. You might say to a networking contact, “I’ve really enjoyed our conversation and wonder if you would be willing to pass my résumé on to your hiring manager.” Or at the end of an interview you might say: “The job sounds perfect for me, and I look forward to hearing from you. When might that be?” Such an engagement strategy requires a response and leaves you with greater clarity about next steps.
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