Job Seeker as Product

This morning I had a lengthy conversation with a friend who is looking for a job. He is a lawyer at a law firm but wants to switch to a different one that specializes in oil and gas. He is worried that some of his paper credentials will work against him. I asked him:

What is the one thing about you that differentiates you most from other oil and gas lawyers? (distinctive competence)
Who are the people who will make the hiring decision, and what is the process they use to come to the decision? (buying process)
What are the major day-to-day headaches that the hiring partner experiences? (prospect problems)

Job seekers are products; the same marketing principles apply to them as to other products.

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