When to Buck the System

If you are a candidate for a job you really want, but you know that you’re not the strongest candidate, what do you do?

One thing you don’t do is play by the rules. The May 11th issue of The New Yorker had an article by Malcolm Gladwell about how smaller countries can beat larger countries in armed conflicts. When the smaller opponent (we’re talking 1/10 the size of the bigger one) used a conventional strategy, they lost 71.5% of the time. But when they chose an unconventional strategy, one that maximized their strengths and avoided their weaknesses, they won 63.5% of the time.

So, what does that mean for you pursuing a job you really want, but for which you’re not the favorite?

1. Assess where your strengths and weaknesses are with respect to that job. This isn’t as simple as which skills you are strong in—you should think about every aspect of yourself as a person. If you’re outgoing in an industry of mostly socially-awkward people, that’s a strength. If you don’t have the experience that the company wants but have lots of energy and enthusiasm, those are strengths.


2. Brainstorm your message: How can you succinctly highlight how important your strengths are for the job, while downplaying (or ignoring) the areas where you are less strong?


3. Figure out how to deliver your message. You will probably need to take an uncomfortable risk—but if you don’t, you’re not going to get the job anyway. Put an innovative package or video together, find a way to meet a decision-maker socially, or ride a train with a key decider.


4. Make a splash. You need to make a strong impression. Remember, you’re trying to change the rules of the evaluation process. You can’t do that by being timid.