Obvious Hire — Quiz - Emily Julia Coaching

Welcome to the Obvious Hire™ Quiz!

Take this short quiz to see what’s really driving, or stalling your job search.

In just a few minutes, you’ll get insight into what you’re doing well and where your focus may be working against you when it comes to hiring decisions. The results will highlight the areas most likely to unlock progress and help you understand what might need to shift next.

Answer honestly, there are no right or wrong answers, just useful insight.

The quiz takes 5–10 minutes to complete, and you’ll be able to download your results as a PDF at the end.

Please enter your email address to get started.

1 / 12

How clearly can you describe your ideal next role in one sentence?

If you can’t explain your next role clearly, the chances are no one else will understand it. Clarity is power, and it’s often the difference between being overlooked and being exactly who the hiring manager is looking for.

Remember, it’s okay to have more than one ideal role; what matters is that each one is crystal clear.

A. Not at all. I struggle to describe my ideal next role.

B. I have a rough idea, but it still feels vague or broad.

C. I have a clear idea, but I find it hard to express it concisely.

D. Very clear. I can describe my ideal role in one sentence. For example: I’m targeting Group Compliance COO roles in banking in German-speaking Switzerland, focused on digital transformation to strengthen risk management and avoid regulatory scrutiny.

2 / 12

How well can you recognise your personal value as a candidate?

Your personal value is the unique mix of strengths, skills, behaviours, and ways of working that make you you. These are your differentiators in the hiring process, the qualities that make you memorable, relevant, and the kind of person decision-makers want on their team.

A. I’m not very connected to my value; it often feels unclear or hard to identify.

B. I recognise parts of my value, but it still feels vague and not fully defined.

C. I understand my value, but I’m not always connected to it in practice.

D. Very well, I’m clear on my value and what sets me apart. For example: I was hand-selected by top management to stabilize a failing multi-million US$ global project under worldwide regulatory pressure by bringing calm, level-headed leadership, rebuilding trust, and driving clear priorities to meet all deadlines.

3 / 12

How well do you understand the real business impact you create?

Knowing your day-to-day tasks is one thing; but knowing the difference your work actually makes is another. Your business impact is the measurable improvement you create, for example: saving time, reducing risk, improving efficiency, cutting costs, or helping the organisation achieve better results.

A. I’m not sure what impact I create; it’s hard to pinpoint real outcomes.

B. I have a sense of my impact, but I struggle to describe or quantify it.

C. I know much of the impact I’ve created, but I haven’t mapped it clearly across my experience.

D. Very well. I know my business impact and feel confident sharing it. For example: I redesigned a core transaction monitoring workflow that reduced turnaround time by 28%, saved the team 12 hours per week, and improved accuracy, directly enabling faster senior management decisions and reducing risk.

4 / 12

How much structure and discipline do you bring to your job search?

Opportunities open up when you have strong process discipline. Treating your job search like a strategic project means having a clear plan, weekly goals, regular follow-ups, and reviewing what’s working so you can adjust.

A. I don’t have much structure; I apply when I see something interesting and hope for the best.

B. I try to stay organised, but I don’t follow a clear plan or track my progress.

C. I have a process, but I’m not always consistent, and I sometimes forget to follow up or lose momentum.

D. Highly structured. For example: I’ve set up a tracker in Excel, set weekly outreach and follow-ups targets, track responses, obtain feedback, review what’s working, and intentionally manage my job search.

5 / 12

How effectively are you spending your time on activities that truly move you forward?

It’s easy to stay busy, but busyness isn’t progress. Hours spent scrolling job boards, tweaking your CV, or sending hundreds of applications rarely lead to offers. Knowing which actions actually open doors, and spending your time on those, is what moves you forward.

A. I’m not sure which activities actually lead to progress or results.

B. I have a general idea, but I don’t always prioritise the right things.

C. I know the most impactful activities, and I do some of them, but not as consistently or strategically as I could.

D. Highly effective. For example: I post thought leadership on LinkedIn, ask my contacts to introduce me to decision-makers, take a selective approach to applications, and focus on industry forums where opportunities arise early.

6 / 12

How well do you understand what challenges your target employers are trying to solve right now?

When you understand an employer’s top priorities, their pressures, problems, and opportunities, it becomes much easier to position yourself as the person they need.

A. I haven’t looked deeply into employer challenges yet.

B. I have done some general research, but I’m unsure how I fit into those needs.

C. I’ve researched and know several of their main challenges, but I’ve only linked a few of my experiences to show how I can solve them.

D. Crystal clear. For example: I know Swiss banks are under real pressure to modernise compliance, integrate AI-driven monitoring, and strengthen regulatory reporting, and I can demonstrate how I’ve delivered solutions in all three.

7 / 12

How well do you tailor your CV to each role and speak the employer's language and priorities?

It’s easy to send the same CV everywhere, but sameness doesn’t stand out. Hiring managers won’t connect the dots for you. Each CV needs to make your relevance obvious by reflecting the company’s priorities, using their language, and linking your achievements to the problems they’re trying to solve.

A. I usually send the same CV with minimal changes.

B. I make small edits or add keywords, but most of it stays the same.

C. I adapt sections and highlight relevant achievements, but I’m not always strategic about aligning with the employer’s priorities or language.

D. Every CV I send is fully tailored. For example: I adjust my professional summary to reflect the key priorities, reorder relevant skills and results to the top, and remove content that isn’t relevant to that specific role.

8 / 12

How consistent and strategically aligned is the career story you're telling across everything you do?

Hiring managers and recruiters don’t just look at your CV, they review your LinkedIn, how you show up online, and what you say in conversations and interviews. If each part tells a different career story, it creates doubt. When everything aligns, you come across as clear, credible, and easy to hire.

A. My CV, LinkedIn, and conversations all say slightly different things, my story is not consistent.

B. Some of my messaging matches, but parts (like my CV vs. LinkedIn) feel out of sync or generic.

C. I have a clear story, and most of my messaging aligns, but I’m not always consistent in tone or quality.

D. Every touchpoint is aligned and authentic. For example: My CV, LinkedIn, networking, and interviews all reinforce the same high-quality story: I transform compliance functions with digital solutions that cut costs, reduce risk, and satisfy regulators.

9 / 12

How well do you extend your reach into the market to open new possibilities?

Expanding your reach gives you access to more opportunities. Great roles often appear in places beyond job boards, like industry groups, niche communities, alumni networks, sector events, specialist forums, and WhatsApp groups.

A. I stick to the obvious channels like job boards and recruiters.

B. I occasionally look beyond the obvious channels, but it’s sporadic.

C. I’m starting to widen my reach into new groups and networks, but not consistently.

D. I actively expand my reach through multiple routes. For example: I volunteer as a Board Member for a professional network, and I join specialist industry groups and WhatsApp communities where senior roles and openings are shared early.

10 / 12

How visible and active are you in the spaces where your target employers gather?

It’s not enough to be connected, people need to see you, both in person and online. Visibility builds familiarity, trust, and reputation, so your name comes to mind long before roles are advertised.

A. I’m mostly invisible; I rarely show up or engage where my target employers are.

B. I show up sometimes, but not consistently or strategically.

C. I’m active in my own network, but not widely visible beyond it.

D. I’m highly visible. For example: I share insights on LinkedIn, contribute in webinars and panel discussions, attend key industry events, and engage with industry leaders.

11 / 12

How well do you communicate your impact and relevance in interviews?

Interviews aren’t just about answering questions; they’re about showing why you’re the solution to the problems the employer is trying to fix. Connecting your experience to real business priorities, and communicating your impact clearly, confidently, and authentically makes you memorable.

A. I often talk about responsibilities and tasks instead of sharing my impact and results.

B. I can share examples, but they’re not always sharp. Sometimes they drift, get too long, or don’t show clear outcomes.

C. I communicate my impact, but not consistently. I have good examples, but I don’t always link them to the employer’s priorities.

D. Very well. For example: In my first week in a new role, I was asked to cut global compliance costs by 30% in six weeks. I analysed cost drivers, built trust quickly with senior leaders, and delivered a clear plan that won CEO approval, demonstrating calm judgement, strategic thinking, and strong leadership under pressure.

12 / 12

How well are you using AI to make you stand out, and not blend in?

Most people use AI in ways that make them sound like everyone else. But used well, AI can give you a sharp competitive edge, helping you analyse roles, tailor your positioning, spot red flags, strengthen your interview answers, and research industries / companies in depth.

A. I use AI only for simple tasks like drafting CV bullets or cover letters, and I mostly accept whatever it produces without challenge.

B. I use AI for drafting and rephrasing, and I edit the output, but I’m not yet using it to tailor anything or strengthen my positioning.

C. I use AI to tailor my CV and LinkedIn, clarify my strengths, and refine my messaging, but I know I’m not yet using its full strategic potential.

D. I’m an expert user of AI. For example: I analyse job descriptions for hidden priorities and red flags, test my CV and interview answers for weak spots, research industries in depth, and use agents to monitor emerging insights, so I stay distinct, prepared, and credible.