“I admire MSF: my father is a doctor and I wanted to be one, but…”. “I have always wanted to be a doctor and work for MSF, but…”. You may fill the blanks with several reasons why so many of the candidates I have interviewed chose another career path and yet want to work with Médecins Sans Frontières.
Every time, I see how embarrassed they feel for not having made that choice, now that they are talking to someone from the organization. I feel for them. They followed their own talents, interests but nonetheless share the values and purpose of MSF. But does having a personal purpose that is different from the organizational one destine you not to be a part of it, or worse, not to be able to contribute to it at all?
The generations that are entering the job market and that are currently in managerial roles long for meaning and purpose in their jobs: how can a personal purpose be an advantage in a recruitment process? How can personal purpose match the organizational one?
I will tell you the story of a dear colleague of mine, let’s call him Franco. Franco was a Field Communication Manager: he had always wanted to make an impact through advocating for the populations in need. He had years of experience in journalism and communications. Brilliant writer, talented photographer: he had a knack for media relations and great communication skills.
In 2010, when the earthquake struck the island, he travelled to Haiti with MSF’s emergency teams. As numerous international media converged to Haiti, Franco’s main activity was to manage relations with journalists who were getting in touch with MSF teams to report on the disaster. Facing the emergency, the struggles and the sufferance of people, Franco experienced frustration: “Talking to journalists doesn’t make any impact on those people: I want to contribute and support my colleagues and patients in a more practical way”.
Patients were dying in the courtyard of the damaged hospital. MSF was lacking medical personnel and supplies. Although he didn’t have any medical training, Franco tried to find ways to support, carried a few boxes of aid, attempted to assist with triage… but he was lost. Confused. He felt useless. Frustration was hitting even harder.
Franco then realized that managing journalists helped reduce media pressure on medical teams, allowing them to focus on saving lives. His work could even contribute to a greater goal. Several MSF cargo planes loaded with medical supplies had been denied landing in Haiti, while on the ground an increasing number of patients were dying. MSF had to speak out and call for lifesaving medical supplies to be urgently allowed in.
Franco and the communications teams then wrote press releases, got in touch with the international media, organized interviews. They contributed to alert public opinion and mobilize decision-makers on the situation. Soon, MSF flights were authorized and medical supplies started arriving in Haiti again. He followed his purpose. He contributed to the organizational one.
Franco’s personal purpose and talent, his will to make those stories heard were the biggest driver he had while, let’s be honest, he was facing an extremely unsettling situation. He is a clear example of the connection between personal purpose, values, and organizational purpose.
Your personal purpose is about who you are, the role you are called to play, what moves you and what you are capable of being. This is what a recruiter is looking for. This is why purpose is crucial and makes a difference, especially in a time when the generations entering the job market have increasingly competitive CVs, experiences abroad, masters, international voluntary work, certificates…
Your “why”, what ignites you to challenge yourself and to strive to overcome obstacles and aim for excellence, a personal purpose that is aligned to the values of the organization and therefore serves the organizational purpose. Here is what you want to show to make a difference.
Purpose will be different for each and everyone, and exactly for this reason it is what makes every candidate unique and what will convince the recruiter to hire you. Together with your experience and technical skills, purpose will be your driver through moments of low motivation, of intense workload, of failures. And it will be a resource for the organization. If the thirst to contribute to a larger outcome through your own talents will match the organizational need you will be the best selection a recruiter will ever make.
So next time you are interviewing for a post, dig into your purpose and show yourself for who you are and not what you think a recruiter wants to see. Franco knew his purpose as communicator. And by the way, also his father was a doctor…
