The Universal Rule Of Employment

In an effort to gain the right meaningful position, you might find it frustrating and confidence draining to be turned down. You might have taken many courses and even completed formal programs to become proficient in the academic aspects of your profession, but are told that experience is key.

What you need is to take a different approach. Use the Universal Rule of Employment: Make suggestions during your interview that will make the employer realize that by hiring you, they can recover at least one dollar more than the cost of hiring and keeping you.

Develop a portfolio of ideas (mental or written) that you can tell the employer you will implement if hired. Make sure that the ideas are ones not readily approached by others, ideas that are leading and change driven. Once the interviewer becomes interested in what you can do for them, explain the potential value your ideas can generate or the savings they can create. Now the employer is thinking that you are a good investment.

For example, suggest the implementation of a new way of managing information or a new program to motivate people. Then use generic numbers to demonstrate how the program will make or save money. Remember to create more value than the compensation you expect to get, this creates a net positive valence (value) and everyone feels good about it.

Don't play politics, win it.

Ash Patel, CHRP
CenterPoint Training & Education
www.cptraining.com

Ash Patel is a professor of human resources and is a management consultant serving the needs of the broader market and the golf industry. As a founder of CenterPoint Training & Education (www.cptraining.com), Ash has developed and delivered a number of online virtual multimedia training programs for colleges, universities and business. Ash serves on a number of professional and charitable boards and is dedicated to the professional practice of human resource management.

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