When I went through my brand training, we were taught an
exercise called, “The Customer’s Soliloquy.” In it, brand managers and agency
types were asked to imagine the mindset of the customer. What does she dream
of? What are her fears? Is she hopeful? Scared?
The point of the exercise was to try to see the brand
category and the brand from the customer’s point of view. I have adapted it to
become “The Candidate’s Soliloquy” so that employers can begin to understand
what motivates or demoralizes their workers and candidates.
The first place to start is with how you describe your opportunities. To
describe them well, you need to think about the people who will be reading
them— the candidates. So here are the questions to the Candidate’s Soliloquy to
help you do just that.
- What
are my dreams?
What do I want to do in life? Where do I see myself in a couple of years? This portion of the soliloquy is not all self-centered, especially among younger workers. It is also appropriate to ask, “What are my dreams for society? How will this job impact those?” - What
are my fears?
What keeps me up at night? What am I afraid of (particularly when it comes to looking for a new job)? What keeps me from leaving the job I have (and hate)? - What
do I want to do?
I know my profession— how will I be applying it on this job? What unique challenges are there? How will I grow or gain new skills or have new experiences that will make me more valuable in the marketplace? - What’s
in it for me?
What will I get if I apply for this job? Why should I take the time to do that? What will I get if I GET this job? Why is that better than what I have now?
As you work through these questions, try to go beyond the
obvious answers. For the second question, for example, today many people are
afraid of being unemployed. That’s an obvious answer to this question. But
there are other, even more powerful fears candidates wrestle with: What if I
don’t like my new boss? What if this new job isn’t right for me? What if this
employer isn’t what it claims to be?
Answer the obvious— and not so obvious— questions to put
yourself in the candidate’s place. Then read your job descriptions on your
careers Web site or in your job postings. What could be improved?