As a job applicant, the last job that I applied to was my current position as a structural engineer. The actual position that I applied to was turned out to be a little different than where I initially landed, but it served to start the conversation between myself and my employer. I found out about the company through some initial online research. As an East Coast resident, I didn’t have much familiarity with the company as they tended to operate in a more West Coast space. I had to do some initial online research to get a good feel for what the company was all about. It was through that initial research that I began to realize the “why” behind the firm, what was really important to them, and what they stood for. Everything that I discovered through my online research was positive and caused me to investigate further.
After my initial application, I had a phone interview scheduled with three individuals. The interview was good, and the discussion was positive and informative, for the most part, but I wanted to talk to more folks at the firm to get a better understanding of what kind of opportunities would be available for me.
Throughout the application process, I spoke with three more individuals in the firm, with progressing levels of leadership and responsibility. I begun to understand where their needs were, and how my strengths could help fill in those gaps. I was able to get a broader understanding of the firm and their practice, and how my specific skill set filled a need.
Throughout the application process, I became more and more excited about the prospects of working with this firm, and seeing how my strengths and passions fit a unique need for the company. By the time I had accepted an offer and then started my employment, I was fully engaged and ready to hit the ground running. The key conversations that I had with the decision makers during the application process were critical in me understanding the firm and them understanding what I could bring to the table.