Employer as the Customer


Would it change your approach to job search if you thought of the employer as a customer?

Searching for work forces you into the role of salesperson, because you’re selling your skills.  Technically, this makes the employer your customer!

As a customer, prospective employers will be interested in what you can do for them; they won’t be interested in what you need from them.  However, when you’re under pressure to find work, it is easy to forget about the employer’s perspective.

For example, the following objective is commonly found at the top of résumés:
Objective: To secure a position in my field.

This objective focuses on the needs of the job seeker and it doesn’t tell prospective employers anything they don’t already know.  Employers would prefer an objective that tells them about the skills, experience, education and/or personal traits this job seeker has to offer.

Employers want your résumé and cover letter to answer the question “What can you do to help me?”.  They will be asking this same question during the interview.