Insider Q & A: Tom Bolt on Why You Should Job Search Like a Pole Vaulter

Tom Bolt is Managing Partner of Leute Management Services founded in 1996 which provides HR management consulting with primary focus on global staffing and recruitment.  Tom crossed over from engineering into HR, and uses his technical side to embrace social media as it interfaces with HR. A former contract recruiter for companies including ESPN and Novartis, Tom is also a strong advocate for job seekers and serves as a facilitator for the Hire Friday (#hfchat) on Twitter.

How does a candidate get your attention?

Job search is like recruiting in reverse; there are diverse ways to get attention. Think like a recruiter and find me anyway you can. Respond to me via the usual ways – apply for a job online, engage me through networking contacts, use social media, cold call me. Following up with me on LinkedIn after we’ve met is better than handing me a piece of paper.

I appreciate directness from a candidate. You are not running for Miss America, you are not asking for World Peace. Tell me how your skills line up to the job; what matters most to my clients is how you fit the job. Showing me your personality and unique attributes is helpful, but focus on the job first.

What makes a great candidate beyond the tech skills?

I’ve worked as a recruiter at career fairs at MIT, and I can tell you that candidate “intelligence and work ethic” is something that I look for.  When I look for the best employees, I look for people who are smart and work hard. You can do by showing me what you do well.

I’m interested in measurable accomplishments. Highlight the things that are unique, tell me stories about what you’ve done—show proof that you understand the job and that you have potential for career advancement after you get hired for the job.

 I always recommend candidates who show they have the aptitude, capacity and understanding necessary not just to perform the job that they’ve applied for – but also the job at the next level.

Do you have any “never do” tips for individuals in working with recruiters?

The biggest negative to me is when someone refuses to accept that they are not the best fit for a job. Don’t argue with me if I tell you that you are not a match for a job.  Leave your frustrations at home.  Be positive. If I can’t work with you now, I may be able to help you later.

You’ve worked as a recruiter for ESPN.  Any tips for people who are going after their dream job?

You have to be able to translate how your skills get the job. Showing you are passionate about a company – or a job function – is great, but you have to be grounded. Show your competencies for the actual job first. Take time to understand what the company – or job does – behind the curtains.

When I worked for ESPN, I was hiring for jobs in digital media in areas that included fantasy sports. Almost everyone said, “This is my dream job.”  Other candidates—especially those in print journalism – said, “I’m applying for this job in part because I think my job is going away – and will be obsolete.” This isn’t a compelling answer – you have to be able to translate how your skills fit the job. You have to show the connections.

Early in my career, I worked for a company called Prodigy which was an early internet service provider. I worked with that company from the beginning, to a point where they had over 1,000 employees, and through two rounds of layoffs. Over the course of my career, I’ve been able to use that experience in hiring for other companies. You have to be able to translate how you see the dots over your career connecting, to translate your value for others.

Are there any questions I haven’t asked that I should be asking? What’s the question, and what’s your answer?

What don’t candidates do enough of?

People underestimate the need to do self-assessment and to reflect. The time to look in the mirror is early in the process. Do this before the interview. That’s going to help you in your work.

Get feedback from others in the process. It’s really important to overcome negativity. If you didn’t get the job, how are you going to get the next one? How are you going to engage the person who told you “no” the next time around?

I am the co-moderator of Hire Friday, a weekly chat on Twitter under the hashtag #hfchat. A lot of our participants come into the conversation with an attitude that HR, or the recruiter—or someone on the hiring fence is an enemy.

This isn’t true. You aren’t talking to an enemy, someone who’s going to put you out to the wolves, or in a minefield. You are talking to someone who needs to fill a role. Many recruiters are compassionate. We want to educate you about the things you don’t know about job search. We want to help you, and we want to help our clients. And we’re willing to work with you.

A good recruiter will place the candidate at ease, and will find out what motivates them. If you find someone who values your skills, they may also help you with the process.

Use it now—actionable—advice for job seekers:

Think. See. Do. This is how Olympians train. Think about a pole vaulter. You envision your goal first, than do it. Think about yourself doing the job, see yourself doing it, and then do it. When you can see yourself in a role, the employer can see that, too.