Going the Extra Mile

He reflected on the past, when he himself had been a candidate interviewing with his current manager a number of years ago.

Unlike his competitors, he had done his homework on the company and came to the meeting with a plan that included his research—based on first-hand experience and industry reading—on the present and future needs that financial institutions possess around grid computing and on-demand utility infrastructure services. He provided details of his recent high-impact accomplishments and why he was well-positioned to use his contacts and experience for the benefit of the organization.

Last but not least, he concluded with a one-year return-on-investment projection, which showed how he would be able to produce profitable results by properly using the organization's resources.

His manager knew a winner when he saw one and made him an offer on the spot.

The dilemma that was now before the hiring manager wasn't as clear-cut. Both candidates were articulate and had successful track records within their respective positions; one worked for a provider of trade order management systems and the other for a global giant that offered product and consulting solutions for every possible enterprise problem under the sun.

"Being successful at another firm is great, but it doesn't prove that they're going to make it in this environment. Based on how they've presented themselves there's clearly a risk that I'm taking in bringing either of them onboard," he says.

He called the candidates and told them that they were both finalists for the position. He then requested that they each take one week to prepare a business case similar to the one that he had prepared years before. Both candidates agreed to give the challenge a shot.

The more he thought about it, the more frustrated the candidate from the trade order management firm felt. "Does he expect me to do free consulting for him?" he wondered. "Why should the individuals in this firm's management be interested in my ideas? It's not my job to get into these sorts of strategic issues. This seems like an effort in futility. What is this going to prove?"

The candidate called back a few days later and said that he didn't fully comprehend the scope of what was being asked of him. The SVP told him that he would e-mail him a boilerplate example of what he was requesting and how he'd like it formatted. He also instructed the finalist to call back with any questions.

On the day that the proposals were due, the bottom line was that the worried finalist hadn't done the work. He called the SVP to thank him for his time, but he concluded that this wasn't going to be the right position for him.

The second candidate e-mailed his plan even though he felt nervous that it wasn't as detailed and sophisticated as he would have liked. Twenty minutes later his phone rang. It was the SVP calling with a verbal offer, which he subsequently accepted.

It's rarely crowded on the extra mile. Candidates possess more power than they realize in presenting their value in a compelling manner and they must learn to exploit this notion. This reduces their perceived risk and enables an organization to pull the trigger and make a hiring decision.

Alan Geller is the managing director of AG Barrington, a financial technology recruitment and placement firm.