Have you ever traveled to another country where you don’t speak the language? You can cross your fingers and hope to find someone who understands your language, or you can try using google translate, but you feel lost if you can’t communicate your most basic wants and needs with someone.
In today’s competitive job market, knowing how to align your skills and interests to the company’s needs is the key to receiving an offer. A critical alignment needs to be matching the language the company uses to describe its needs. When applying for a position, you should search for the right words to express how you are the right fit.
How do you know what words to use? Are you sure you speak the same language as the company? Do your diligence on the company by checking their website and reading how they describe themselves. If you have the luxury of having a job description to refer to, pay attention the words they use. Each company has its own language. You certainly wouldn’t speak Italian when you are visiting Greece, so don’t waste any time and energy trying to communicate with a potential employer in your own language; use theirs.
When applying to jobs online, language is particularly important because the systems that manage placements assign scores based on keyword matches between your resume and the job opening. For example, one company may use the term Sales Team and another may call that Business Development or Opportunity Pursuit. The company will be looking for matches with their own terms, so you should adapt your resume to use the right language. Pay attention to these details.
In the interview phase, language matters as well.
You can’t change other people; only how you interact with them. Studies show that the sooner a person feels they understand you, the faster your rapport will build. Adjusting yourself to your potential employers’ language will allow them to feel comfortable with you more quickly since you are both on the same page speaking the same language. This way you won’t waste any interview time explaining your words, and you can focus on connecting instead of interpreting.
It takes skill and attention to apply for a new job. Finding a good fit should be about substantive issues instead of word choice. You should prepare to submit your resume – and for that eventual interview – by researching the company language and being prepared to use it.
Merito Group is a women-owned business providing excellence in outsourced talent acquisition solutions including retained executive search, RPO, and consulting services. Looking to hire exceptional talent? Contact us by email or 703-734-6340. To view our current career opportunities, click here.