The Three Grades of Employee

The Three Grades of EmployeeMost hiring managers (who've been around the block) know that there are three different types -- i.e. "grades" -- of employee:
            
First, you have "vendors".
            
This type is common with younger workers, especially with millennials.


            
They come in, do what they need to do (and they do it well), collect their pay check, and then ride off into the sunset. In other words, their relationship with their employer is mostly transactional.
            
This type of employee has its place, but hiring managers want more.
            
Next up, you have "resources".
            
These are the seasoned employees who walk into a new job armed with industry contacts and a whole "portfolio" full of accomplishments, war stories, and a lot of extremely valuable learning experiences.
            
Bosses like these employees, because they often know things that a hiring manager doesn't even know he doesn't know. They know about solutions he doesn't know exist. Their knowledge tends to be both wide and deep.
            
Employees who are "resources" are not transactional. They share their experience and insight freely -- with both their colleagues and their bosses.
            
They don't keep tabs on the people they help.
            
Finally, you have "advisors".
            
This type of employee is rare, and every hiring manager knows it.
            
You'll know if your boss considers you an advisor, because, chances are, you're part of her inner circle and she'll come to you when she needs advice or wants to bounce an idea off of someone whose judgement she trusts.
            
The reason why hiring managers value "advisor"-grade employees so highly is because they play "all in". Their job isn't just a job -- it's who they are.
            
Now, here's why I'm sharing all this today:
            
When you walk into your next interview, your perceived value to a hiring manager will skyrocket if you can give off a "resource" or "advisor" vibe.
            
There are many ways to do that.
            
You could share stories about times when you shared rare and valuable insight, or you could talk about a time when a boss came to you for advice.
            
These little things make all the difference.
            
Remember though, don't forget the fundamentals.
            
You need to have well structured answers that give interviewers exactly the information they're looking for, check all of their boxes, and present you in the best possible light.

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Alan Carniol

Alan is the creator of Interview Success Formula, a training program that has helped more than 80,000 job seekers to ace their interviews and land the jobs they deserve. Interviewers love asking curveball questions to weed out job seekers. But the truth is, most of these questions are asking about a few key areas. Learn more about how to outsmart tough interviewers by watching this video.