After personally reading thousands of applications and conducting hundreds of interviews, there is one thing that makes it infinitely easier to hire a candidate – the tie-back.
Most job seekers understand the importance of communicating strengths that are relevant to the job requirements. What makes this strategy even more effective is the tie-back – that one sentence or phrase which shows how your skills, experience, knowledge, or accomplishments solve the key problem(s) in the role. Whether in a cover letter, when networking, or during the interview, the tie-back is the part of your pitch that can seal the deal. If you’re a Switcher, it’s even more important to include the tie-back since it’s easy for a Hirer to dismiss your non-traditional experience as irrelevant.
For example,
- “The deep relationships I’ve built in the Asia-Pacific Region in my previous role have enabled me to increase speed-to-market, resulting in an earlier return on investment for the company. As part of the Product Team at your organization, I can engage my contacts to pave the way for potential new revenue streams so that products reach new audiences, increasing profits.”
- “As a Naval Lieutenant, I successfully led 14 complex global missions, from planning through execution, with limited resources and a narrow margin for error. The precision required in your global supply chain process due to tight budgets and high customer demand are tasks that directly engage my training and strengths.”
- “In my last role, my counterpart left right before I joined the company, requiring me to learn the custom IT system on my own within a week to avoid a lapse in customer service. At Tech, Inc., I know a deep understanding of your platform is a critical part the team’s success. I’m confident my technology savvy and proven resourcefulness will enable me to hit the ground running and contribute to the department’s bottom line within the first 90 days.”
Don’t leave the interpretation of how your accomplishments and skills will positively impact the role/company up to chance or assumptions. If you really want to impress a Hiring Manager, do the heavy lifting for them and include the tie-back. This way, the Hirer doesn’t have to spend time thinking about how your skills will translate to the needs of the open position, but rather will leave the interview confident in how your experience will help the team succeed.
Happy hunting!