The great majority of job applicants want to write just one resume they can use to apply to all jobs that interest them. And in that one resume they want to describe exactly what THEY want: what type of tasks they want to perform, which of their talents and abilities they want to bring to bear, and what part of their past experience they want to draw upon. They leave it to the Human Resources manager or the hiring manager to figure out how they will fit in the organization and what specific role they might play.

The problem with this approach is that from the perspective of the hiring company or the hiring manager what is most important is not what YOU want but what THEY want. They are simply not going to be willing to take the time or spend the mental energy required to try to find a match between what you are offering and what they are looking for.

You may be wondering, “Why are they not willing to spend this time and effort to help me out?” Think for a moment about the process the hiring manager has had to go through to write the job description in the first place. They had to think about what they needed and also the larger picture – the whole structure of the organization – the personalities of the other people in the organization, etc. And as is natural for any human being, once they came to a decision about what they wanted, they locked in on it, and are not interested in having to rethink the issue. What they want to see in your resume is how you meet the specific requirements they have taken the time and trouble to define.

2. Offer a “Solution” to Your Potential Employer

Many times during a job search you will have an opportunity to meet with a potential employer or to communicate with them in some way (e.g., via email or phone) during the time period when they are considering several candidates. If you have this opportunity then you have a chance to apply the second technique - which is to “offer a solution.”

What does it mean to “offer a solution?” Any employer looking to hire someone is not just looking for a body to fill a chair – what they are really looking for is a solution to a problem they are experiencing. The more you can find out about the problem, the better able you will be to offer a potential solution.