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Tough question on job application

post #1 of 15
1/6/10 at 12:25am
Thread Starter 
The question that appears on the job app: 'how might you be different from anyone else applying for this job?'

I'm finding this incredibly difficult, esp. because of the implications of the terms 'might', 'different', and 'anyone else'.

It's not asking: 'how are you different?', it's asking: 'how might you be different?'.
It's also not asking: 'how might you be better?', it's asking: 'how might you be different?'.
And finally, it's not asking: 'how might you be different from everyone else?', it's asking: 'how might you be different from anyone else?'.

I put it to you: how would you answer this question? I don't intend to plagiarize your responses - I want to get a feel as to what is appropriate and what is creative.

The rules:
Think outside the box.
No 'I have a freckle on my left bum cheek and that makes me different' type answers.
No drab, mundane answers.
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post #2 of 15
1/6/10 at 12:29am
When in doubt with questions like this....I always find that is it best to lie!
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post #3 of 15
1/6/10 at 1:01am
What kind of job?
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post #4 of 15
1/6/10 at 1:03am
"I've never been convicted of a major felony."


It might be true.
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post #5 of 15
1/6/10 at 1:11am
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by imageWIS View Post
What kind of job?

At a creative design agency (architecture, product design, etc.).
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post #6 of 15
1/6/10 at 1:13am
You might be the only applicant who has to turn to strangers on the internet to answer the question.
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post #7 of 15
1/6/10 at 1:29am
Here is what I hear in that question. What do you have going for you that puts you ahead of the others when it comes to working for the firm? How will you benefit the firm in a way that others won't?
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post #8 of 15
1/6/10 at 1:34am
what do you think will bring value to the hiring manager and his boss?

what do you do that is really outstanding? honestly, if you don't have anything outstanding, why should they hire you?

does the thing that you have that is outstanding relate to what brings value to the hiring manager and his boss?
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post #9 of 15
1/6/10 at 1:35am
Whatever you write, the bottom line is how your presence with benefit them. Additionally, people want to work with Jim Halpern rather than Dwight Schrute or Michael Scott. You should explain what qualities make you Jim Halpern.
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post #10 of 15
1/6/10 at 1:41am
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by RSS View Post
Here is what I hear in that question. What do you have going for you that puts you ahead of the others when it comes to working for the firm? How will you benefit the firm in a way that others won't?

Quote:
Originally Posted by globetrotter View Post
what do you think will bring value to the hiring manager and his boss?

what do you do that is really outstanding? honestly, if you don't have anything outstanding, why should they hire you?

does the thing that you have that is outstanding relate to what brings value to the hiring manager and his boss?

Quote:
Originally Posted by willpower View Post
Whatever you write, the bottom line is how your presence with benefit them. Additionally, people want to work with Jim Halpern rather than Dwight Schrute or Michael Scott. You should explain what qualities make you Jim Halpern.

Great responses all round - I completely agree.

Would you try to appeal to their pocketbooks? ie. I can contribute significant value to your bottom line by ...

Or would you take a more human-based approach? ie. I am like Jim Halpern because ...
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post #11 of 15
1/6/10 at 1:58am
Quote:
Originally Posted by onlinematt View Post
Great responses all round - I completely agree.

Would you try to appeal to their pocketbooks? ie. I can contribute significant value to your bottom line by ...

Or would you take a more human-based approach? ie. I am like Jim Halpern because ...

private sector there are two things - pocket book and comfortable for your boss and his boss to manage you

public sector, no idea
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post #12 of 15
1/6/10 at 4:29pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by onlinematt View Post
At a creative design agency (architecture, product design, etc.).

This is a creativity test. Better get crackin'
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post #13 of 15
1/6/10 at 4:56pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by onlinematt View Post
Great responses all round - I completely agree.

Would you try to appeal to their pocketbooks? ie. I can contribute significant value to your bottom line by ...

Or would you take a more human-based approach? ie. I am like Jim Halpern because ...

Combine the two..."At my last employer, my incredibly innovative solution to a customer request (as described in my book, "A Few of the Incredibly Creative Things I Have Done in My Career") increased annual revenue by a factor of 10."
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post #14 of 15
1/6/10 at 5:00pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by onlinematt View Post
It's not asking: 'how are you different?', it's asking: 'how might you be different?'.
It's also not asking: 'how might you be better?', it's asking: 'how might you be different?'.
And finally, it's not asking: 'how might you be different from everyone else?', it's asking: 'how might you be different from anyone else?'.

Don't worry about the details, I doubt that that much effort went into formulating this. I think your understanding is perfectly fine. Agree with all the good advice here.
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post #15 of 15
1/6/10 at 5:24pm
Remember, when you can't dazzle them with insight, baffle them with bullshit.
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