Hiring someone is one of the most important decisions a leader can make. It’s also one of the most difficult things.
We recently hired our first full-time employee to support our business and received over 1,000 applications in just a few days.
Many of the finalists had impressive resumes. Some of them worked with speakers like me, writers, thought leaders, and so on. But the Megan I hired had no first-hand experience in this world.
Here’s how she stood out among over 1,000 applicants and how you can do the same.
Although she had no direct experience, she had the appropriate skills
Recruiters often deny high-potential candidates a chance because their backgrounds aren’t a perfect fit.
The role I was recruiting for was not a simple assistant or operational role. We needed people who could flexibly respond to the changes that are inevitable at a startup. Someone who knows how to effectively manage, lead and bring structure to a growing business. The job required navigating ambiguity, making sense out of chaos, and anticipating needs without set direction.
During the interview process, Megan did not try to match all the bullet points in the job description. Instead, she focused on what she does best: building systems, creating clarity, and getting things done.
She didn’t speak in buzzwords or common phrases. She provided real-life examples of how she leveraged relevant skills to tackle similar challenges, even in unrelated industries.
Experience matters. But that’s not all. If you focus solely on that, you may miss out on the best person for the job. I would rather hire someone who:
Think independently and take initiative Communicate clearly and carefully Learn quickly and adapt often Know how to solve problems, not just follow instructions
she didn’t hide her excitement
Enthusiasm is key in a competitive market.
A lot of advice out there tells candidates to stay calm so as not to reduce their negotiating power later on. But when there are hundreds of people competing for the same role, hiring managers will be excited about you if they know you’re excited.
Megan didn’t try to hide her interest. She made it clear that this was the job she wanted and not just one she was qualified for. In fact, she even revealed that this is her top choice.
Lorraine and her first full-time employment, Megan, talk on a Zoom call.
We used AI to help choose between two strong candidates
Towards the end of the process, I narrowed the candidates down to two strong finalists. Both had different strengths. Both touched me in different ways. And both would have been great employers.
I wanted to see if my intuition was backed by actual insight and not just bias or recency. I leveraged AI to analyze interview transcripts recorded using an AI note-taker to assess what excited each candidate and what stood out as their strengths.
Megan’s reaction showed she was excited to bring structure to the chaos. AI has identified strengths such as turning distributed processes into smooth, repeatable workflows and anticipating needs before they surface. I realized that this compensated for my weaknesses.
That made me guess what her work personality is like, someone who is stable under pressure and communicates clearly and confidently. It matched what I saw in the interview and what I was looking for in the role.
What this means for job seekers
You don’t have to check every box to be a top candidate. The more you can base your answer on real-world examples, the more the hiring manager can picture you in the role.
And if you’re genuinely passionate about the job, communicate that at every step of the process. Now is not the time to be subtle. You can get an early start by sending a message to the recruiter after you submit your application. Most people don’t.
Out of the 1,000+ candidates I posted, fewer than 10 messaged me on LinkedIn. Only about five of them actually stood out, including a note from Megan and another finalist applicant.
Some of the powerful messages included:
Share in 1-2 sentences why you’re excited about the role Clear (not generic!) mentions of relevant skills and experience A personal touch that doesn’t feel like a copy-and-paste
Forgotten messages included:
Vague “I applied!” No context, no understanding of what the role involved was Zero effort to personalize or build a connection
No need for long messages. A thoughtful message is all you need.
In the end, they didn’t hire the person with the most suitable resume. After a few months, I couldn’t be happier with that decision.
Lorraine K. Lee is an award-winning keynote speaker and CEO of RISE Learning Solutions. She is also the bestselling author of Unforgettable Presence: Get Seen, Gain Influence, and Catapult Your Career, which was selected as a must-read by the Next Big Idea Club. She teaches popular courses at LinkedIn Learning and Stanford Continuing Studies. Past clients include Zoom, Cisco, LinkedIn, ASICS, McKinsey & Company, and more.
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