Know where you’re on the preference scale

There is no situation when job seekers can compromise their efforts or take it for granted that the job is secured – until an offer is already in hand. However, it can be helpful for candidates to discern where exactly they fall on the future employer’s preference scale — i.e. how far the employer is interested and thinks they are the best fit for the job.

By having this knowledge, a job candidate can score at a couple of points at the negotiation table: position, work condition, etc. It is a risky business, though. Get it wrong and you may lose the whole job. But the result, if you get right, is well worth the effort.

Getting this kind of information, however, isn’t easy. You will need to have a solid understanding of how you meet — and exceed — the job requirements, and also have a good idea of who else is in the hiring pool. Both aren’t readily available, but here are a few tactics that can help you develop a realistic view of your odds:

Match your skills

Reading through the job requirements as posted isn’t enough to give you an exact idea of whether you will be the right fit or not, even if you meet every single requirement. You need to read between the lines and know what else beyond the technical qualification the employer is looking for. This can be a certain certification, having local knowledge or experience with a particular product or in a certain market, or simply being a personality that can get along with the team nicely. It can be any combination of these matters, as well. The more you’re aware of what the employer is looking for — beyond the clear job requirements — the better you will be able to judge your own background and how it fits this required profile. Moreover, this understanding can help you better present your skills and stress the points of strength that most matter to the future employer.

Get an insider look

Having some intelligence won’t hurt, as well. If you’ve contacts or reliable sources within your target organization try to learn as much as possible about the position, why it has been open, and what they may be looking for in a future hire. Keep in mind, many employers take the opportunity of hiring a new person to introduce role or structural changes, so don’t be stuck in wanting to do the job that was done by the predecessor unless you’re certain this is what the employer is looking for. In addition, be careful with whom you share your concerns and hopes with when you approach a future employer’s staff, whose loyalty may be stronger to a different party in the organization.

Profile candidates

It is never easy to guess who else may be in the pool — especially if the future employer is willing to relocate people from abroad. However, you can ask questions during the interview to know where you’re in the hiring process. For example, an employer who gets a hundred resumes for an opening may be only interviewing seven to 10 people. This is the first step to know the size of the pool. During the interviewing process, you can ask questions regarding the employers’ priorities, what they are looking for in a candidate, etc. The answers will make it clear for you to understand the gap, if any, between what you offer and the employer’s unwritten requirements. Watch out specifically for requirements that can eliminate a large group of candidates like language skills, geographic location, ability to travel extensively, etc.

Negotiate, softly

The best evidence that you’re a preferred candidate is to see yourself proceeding to final interviews. Although this can be comfortable and a source of confidence, try not to being hard negotiation too early. Once you’re in the stage you’re nearly sure that you’re the chosen candidate, begin to ask questions regarding any issues you may have like the hierarchy, remuneration, hours, etc. Float these issues in a positive tone to show that you care about them and to see the flexibility of your future employer in their regard. Make sure that you don’t seem to be pushing and keep the door always open that nothing is a deal breaker at your end – unless it actually is. By doing so, many of these points may be considered in the offer and put you a step ahead in the negotiation game.

Rania Oteify, a former Gulf News Business Features Editor, is currently an editor based in Seattle.