Do You Really Want the Jobs You’re Interviewing For?

There is a standard approach to searching for and interviewing for a new job. It goes something like this:

You browse a number of job listings, selecting several on the basis of a short blurb and/or the advertised salary. You then passively send out a résumé to selected companies. You proceed to wait by your mailbox for an unlikely acceptance letter.

Let’s say you get an interview and you find yourself sitting there under the microscope trying to convince your interviewer that you are perfect for a company you know almost nothing about. Even if you get the job, the question is do you really want it?

It may be a couple of years or (as in my case) decades before it becomes apparent to you that you’re in entirely the wrong job. Only then will you realize that what you did in your interview was convince yourself and your employer that you (a square peg) were a perfect fit for the position (a round hole.)

I have news for you -- there is a much much better way.

Imagine a different scenario. You’re considering interviewing for a list of companies, but this time, as you’re looking at each company on your list, you’re thinking:

• Why should I apply for this job?


• Will it give me the opportunity to use and add value with my skill set?


• Will this organization’s work environment fit with my personality type?


• Will this employer fit me and my goals?

If the answer to any of these questions is no, then -- let me be clear -- you shouldn’t be interviewing for the job. Square peg. Round hole. It’s time to reconfigure and begin looking for a job that fits who you are.

That’s what my approach (and this blog) is all about -- understanding the importance of the Fit Factor™. It’s about knowing who you are and what you have to offer. It’s about understanding why you and a particular company are a good fit.

Thinking of a career change? Does your thinking need to change first?