One of my favorite shows on the Food Network is one called “Chopped.” For those who have never seen it, the basic premise of the program is that there are four professional chefs, a three-course meal, and a variety of really odd ingredients. In each round, the chefs open up a black basket. Inside the basket is a group of ingredients that the chefs must incorporate into that course. For instance, the appetizer course might include cod, chipotle sausage, jicama, and graham crackers. They have to take these ingredients, add some stuff from the kitchen, and serve up a professionally prepared masterpiece in 20 minutes. The concoctions of these chefs are then judged by other food experts. At the end of each round, one of the chefs is “chopped.” The remaining competitors move on to the next round. The finish of the dessert round means one chef tastes the sweet victory of success, while the other is chopped. After each and every round, each competitor thinks they’ve “got it.” The judges’ tastes are definitely subjective.

So what on earth does a food show have to do with job search? To me, it is a perfect metaphor!

For each open position, the hiring manager creates an open competition. The competitors (vis à vis the job seekers) open a basket of random ingredients. The base ingredient is what is shown on the job advertisement. However, there are others that are arbitrary and probably something that the candidate has never worked with before.

The judges (vis à vis the employers) review the resumes and chop the first round of competitors. The phone screen chops another group of challengers. And finally, the interview pares it down even further. There is the winner of the job offer; and there are those that live to fight another day.

With all of these random ingredients, opinionated judges, and unknown players, how can a job search contestant cook up a victory? Just like my favorite food show, I believe the result comes from 30% skill, 50% effort, and somewhere between 19% and 21% is left up to the personal taste of the judges. That’s right. I know it doesn’t add up to 100%, but the judges’ opinion is that one factor that can make or break it. It’s also that one thing that the competitor cannot control. Therefore, focus on the areas that can be controlled… skill and effort.

Start by focusing on skill. Even though several of the competitors may have similar training or experience, there are ways to highlight those that appear to be most important to the hiring managers. Say for instance, the first component of the job recipe calls for four years experience in time keeping, then ensure the first thing in the resume is about time keeping skills. Be sure to be prepared in the interview to discuss time keeping experience, and so forth.

Then give it the effort. This is something completely in the control of the candidate. Give an effort into each and every step of the job search formula as if it meant that it could be the last. Take the time to customize the cover letter and the resume. Spend time researching the employer before the interview. Write a thank you note with the correct spelling for each person in the company you come in contact with. Remember, anyone could be chopped at any point.

Finally, leave it up to chance. Know that there is a spot in any contest where a misstep could occur, or a great maneuver could be overlooked by the critics. That’s why the great ones keep coming back. A race is not won at the starting line. Keep training, keep competing, and keep up the belief that the right set of ingredients will combine with just a touch of sweetness to whip up the just desserts… a perfect career path.