Common threads in business development and job search

As a professional résumé writer and job search advisor there was a recent discussion in LinkedIn’s Account Manager Group that caught my eye and a response that prompted me to write this post.

“Need to convince a prospective client, but no way to get into him!” This was a discussion started by an Account Manager at a bank in Cameroon looking for strategic business development advice.

What I loved was this response posted by a Business Development Manager in the UK.

What do you need to convince the client to do - To buy something?

Why can’t you get to him – He refuses to talk or you can’t get past the gatekeeper?

When you hit a brick wall, ask yourself: How much do you know about his business? What is it that he does? How he does it? What is it that he wishes to achieve? Why would he change something? Why would he buy from you?

Find the answer to some of these questions, and you will find a way to get him to talk.  If you can’t get past the gatekeeper, find a way to build rapport with the gatekeeper first, or find a reason to be at his office in person.

I thought his response was categorically great advice for the banker and also perceive it as equally applicable for people engaged in a job search.

Throughout my career I keep telling people how important it is to think like a salesperson in all aspects of conducting a job search. So when I read this Q&A I saw the correlation articulated by someone from the sales side in a way you can appreciate and understand.

Cristian Andronache’s advice is something you need to seriously consider when writing a résumé and preparing for a job interview.  In both activities you are trying to make a sale and get beyond the initial gatekeeper. Just as he advised the banker, to be successful in a job search it helps to know as much as possible about perspective employers, their business, culture and the modus operandi of their operations. You need to research what is it they are looking for in this hire and why would they consider hiring you over someone else.

Extrapolating on what Cristian wrote, if you can answer these questions you will be prepared to write a targeted résumé that will get past the gatekeeper and get your foot in the door. Then, once inside the interview room you will know what to say to the interviewer that will get you a job offer?

As always I am happy to critique U.S. resumes and LinkedIn pages at no cost. Email me at perry@perrynewman.com