Think Like A Hiring Manager: The Secrets To Landing Your Dream Job

Today, I thought I’d share my tips for landing your dream job. These tips are based on my experience in human resources and as a hiring manager. I'll even teach you a game-changing interview question that has helped many friends land their dream jobs.

Even if you’re currently employed, knowing what I’m about to share will be helpful if you want to reach financial freedom faster. Increasing your income should always be part of your plan, and finding ways to boost your salary is a good place to start. More money in your pocket is more that you can invest.

Much is said about job loyalty, but if a pay increase is what you’re after, the truth is that switching employers is generally the better choice. Companies hiring external candidates know they need to pay more to lure them from their current employers. Job switchers can usually expect a 10-20% pay increase.

On the other hand, people who stay with the same employer typically only see a 3-5% annual raise. Even if promoted, the salary raise will still probably be less than what the company would pay to someone hired from outside the company for the same position. Unfortunately, it doesn't always pay to be loyal.

Ultimately, the relationship between an employer and employee is a business one. The company’s goal is to make money from the employment of your services. Likewise, your goal is to make more money through this business relationship. So, view yourself as a business and place a value on the services, knowledge, and experience you bring.

Companies employ you as long as they perceive your production to be of equal or greater value than what they pay you. Likewise, if you perceive the value of what you receive from your employment (money, benefits, fulfillment, etc.) to be less than the time, knowledge, and experience you give, it may be time to leave.

Leaving an employer is purely a business decision.

BE CAREFUL WITH AGGREGATE JOB LISTING SITES

If you’ve made the decision to switch jobs, it’s likely you’ll visit an aggregate job listing site like Indeed or LinkedIn. But whenever possible, avoid applying for jobs through these sites. Instead, apply directly on the company’s own website.

Except for small businesses, every company will have an applicant tracking system. Companies use these systems to manage job postings and track candidates through the entire hiring process. Nobody is hired without going through this system. By applying directly with the company, you ensure you are in their system.

Many employers post open jobs on sites like Indeed and LinkedIn to reach a wide audience. Unfortunately, in some cases, these sites do not talk to companies’ applicant tracking systems. In other words, submitting your application and resume through Indeed or LinkedIn doesn’t mean the company will actually receive any of your information.

When I was hiring at the last company I worked for, someone from our talent acquisition team would notify me whenever a person applied through Indeed. I then had to contact these applicants and encourage them to reapply on our website. It was the only way to get their information into our system. There was no way to pull their application and contact information from Indeed.

It was extra work for me to make these calls, and it was extra work for applicants to reapply. It may feel more convenient to apply through job listing sites, but you may just end up creating more work for yourself and the hiring manager. Apply directly to the company and you’ll only need to do it once. Plus, it guarantees they have your application and you don't fall further down the list of candidates.

THE HIRING MANAGER'S MINDSET

Whether you just started your job search or you have an interview scheduled, it’s valuable to understand how the hiring manager thinks. Use this information to get an advantage and present yourself as the best candidate.

FINDING THE RIGHT CANDIDATE IS A MAJOR PAIN IN THE ASS

It takes a lot of time to sort through hundreds of applications, read dozens of resumes, and conduct interviews. All of this is extra work on top of normal business duties. And this is being done while short-staffed (which is why they’re hiring). Hiring managers don't want to go through the entire list of applicants unless they have to.

The Takeaway: Get your application as early as possible for the best shot of it being seen. Apply directly on the company's website, if possible.

Reading resumes is arguably the most tedious part of reviewing candidates. Don’t expect hiring managers to read your entire resume line by line to see if you might be a good candidate. They’re likely to skim through resumes unless something catches their attention.

Make it easy for the hiring manager to understand your qualifications. Bullet point your qualifications at the very top of your resume. Avoid sending the same generic, one-size-fits-all resume to all employers. Tailor your resume for each specific employer and position. When explaining previous roles and responsibilities, show how they directly relate to the job you’re applying for. If you have transferable skills, make it very clear how they apply.

THE HIRING PROCESS IS A HUGE GAMBLE FOR HIRING MANAGERS

No matter how great a candidate appears, every new hire comes with uncertainty. People embellish or flat-out lie on resumes and in interviews all the time. Someone who appears hard-working and likable during interviews isn’t guaranteed to be that way once hired. Sometimes new employees decide to quit after a few weeks on the job.

Even if the right person is hired, it can take up to six months for them to really start contributing to the team. It can take up to a year before they start pulling their own weight. Every new hire is a huge time investment.

As much as the manager would like to be fully staffed, making the wrong hiring decision can set the team back months. So, managers want to lower their risk as much as possible when vetting candidates.

The Takeaway: Uncertainty breeds risk, and familiarity breeds comfort. Hiring managers like hiring people they know because there’s less uncertainty. Network and use your connections to lower that risk for hiring managers.

If you know the hiring manager, reach out to them directly and let them know of your interest. If you don’t know them directly but have a mutual acquaintance, asking that person to recommend you to them also helps tremendously.

HIRING MANAGERS HAVE FIVE QUESTIONS ABOUT EVERY CANDIDATE

Draft your resume and approach job interviews with the intention to answer the following questions every hiring manager has about job candidates.

1. IS THIS PERSON CAPABLE OF DOING THE JOB?

First and foremost, hiring managers want to know if you have the necessary skill set.

The Takeaway: Clearly outline your qualifications in your resume and elaborate with examples. If you have samples of your work, bring them to the interview. Not only do they serve as proof of your abilities, but they also help managers visualize you doing the job.

2. WILL THIS PERSON DO THE JOB?

The perfect skill set means nothing without the work ethic and drive to perform.

The Takeaway: Hiring managers are less interested in hearing about how you followed orders. They are more interested in knowing if you’re a self-starter. In your resume and in the interview, have real-world examples of how you solved problems. Describe the situation you noticed, the actions you took, why you took action, and the result of your actions.

3. DOES THIS PERSON REALLY WANT TO WORK HERE, OR ARE THEY JUST LOOKING FOR ANY JOB?

Job hunting is not unlike dating: both parties want to feel desired. Would you want to start a long-term relationship with someone who is looking for just a random hookup or someone who is interested in you specifically? Employees who look at their job as just a paycheck are more likely to leave when another position catches their eye. Hiring someone like that is too big a gamble.

The Takeaway: Show your interest in the company and position, starting with your resume. Again, tailor your resume for the specific company and job. Generic resumes scream, “I’ll take any job!”

Before the interview, research the company. Learn a little about their values, history, and future plans. And when given the opportunity in the interview to ask questions, do so! Having no questions shows you have no interest in the company or position.

Imagine you were on a first date. You’ve spent the whole night trying to get to know your date, asking questions about their job and hobbies. But they didn’t ask you a single question. Would you think they’re genuinely interested in you or simply see you as a meal ticket? Does that make you want to have a relationship with this person? The job interview is no different.

Ask questions about the company and the team, while touching upon the things you learned in your research. Ask about future plans and long-term goals to demonstrate a desire to be with the company for several years. Don’t miss this big opportunity to show your interest.

4. IS THIS PERSON A CULTURE-FIT?

In a 40-hour work week, we spend about 2,000 hours per year with coworkers. This is almost the same amount of waking hours spent at home with family. With that much time spent together, hiring managers want someone who will fit with the company and the team.

The Takeaway: Find out the company’s values and give examples during the interview of how your values and the company’s align.

As for the team you’ll be joining, it’s impossible to know what the dynamic will be. So, share examples showcasing your ability to adapt to different teams and situations. Explain how you can work in both solo and team settings. Give examples of how you managed relationships with difficult coworkers.

5. ALL THINGS EQUAL, WHAT DOES THIS PERSON BRING TO THE TABLE THAT OTHER CANDIDATES DON’T?

Resumes and interviews don’t tell the whole story. Do you have other skills and intangible qualities beyond the job requirements that could propel the team forward?

The Takeaway: Have an elevator pitch ready. An elevator pitch is a short, memorable summary that introduces who you are and the value you bring. It’s meant to be recited in about 30-60 seconds, roughly the time of a brief elevator ride. This is your chance to sell yourself.

Focus less on what you want out of the job and more on how you can help. Find out what the company's short- and long-term goals are. Then craft your elevator pitch to show how you can help to reach those goals.

When is the ideal moment to give your elevator pitch? Often, candidates are asked to tell a little about themselves at the very beginning of the interview. Although tempting to give your elevator pitch at this point, I recommend saving it for the very end of the interview. Here's why.

Hiring managers write final notes and impressions of each candidate after the interview. This helps them remember all of the candidates they meet with. Saving your pitch until the end ensures it’s fresh on their mind when writing their final notes about you.

THE JEDI MIND TRICK INTERVIEW QUESTION

After you’ve impressed the interviewer with your abilities and demonstrated your interest with your insightful questions, it’s time to seal the deal. At the end of the interview, but right before your elevator pitch, you are going to ask one final question to boost your ranking amongst all candidates.

I don’t know who came up with this question; I came across it on YouTube many years ago. But it’s hands down the single best interview question ever. Keep in mind, it will only work if you didn’t botch the rest of the interview. It won’t save you if the interviewer thinks you’re incompetent.

I’ve used this question successfully myself multiple times. And almost everyone I’ve shared this with has used it to land the job they wanted. Of the few who didn’t get the job, they were at least told by the interviewers that it was the best question they’ve ever been asked.

One caveat to using this question is to make sure the interviewer can see you. It works best in a live setting or at least over a video call. It will not work over a phone interview. I’ll explain why shortly.

Feel free to put this into your own words, but ask the following:

I understand that you’ll be interviewing many candidates, but one year from now, how will you know you've made the right hiring decision? What will that person have accomplished in one year to prove they were the right person for the job?

This question is so powerful because it answers several of the questions the hiring manager is thinking. By asking what needs to be accomplished within a year, you demonstrate a strong work ethic and drive. It also demonstrates interest in the company and implies you intend to stay with the company long-term.

And while the interviewer is imagining all the wonderful things this person will accomplish, they are looking at you. Because they see you, they are imagining you doing all these things. They are picturing you on the team working with them. You are imprinting your face onto their image of the successful new hire.

This question is a freakin’ Jedi mind trick. Drop the light saber.

FROM APPLICANT TO STANDOUT CANDIDATE

You've seen how hiring managers think and where job seekers go wrong. And now, you've got a Jedi mind trick that can set you apart from your competition.

But knowing what to do is only half the battle. It's how you show up that makes the difference. Each resume, email, and interview is your chance to show your value and how you’re the solution to a problem they need solved. Treat every step as a conversation between two businesses: theirs and yours.

Because when you start viewing yourself as a business—one that offers skill, experience, and drive—everything changes. You stop chasing opportunities and start attracting them.

The goal isn't just to land a job. It's to find a role that moves you forward, earns more, and takes you another step towards financial freedom.

So the next time you sit for an interview, remember: You’re not trying to impress them. You’re helping them see what their team could look like with you on it.

Leave me a comment below if you like the Jedi mind trick question.

Now go land that dream job, and I’ll see you at the finish line!

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Disclaimer: I’m not a licensed financial professional. This blog shares my personal experiences and opinions around money, investing, and early retirement. It’s for informational and educational purposes only—not financial, legal, or tax advice. Always do your own research or consult with a qualified professional before making any financial decisions.