For most job seekers, the job search is a process of begging for jobs. The challenge is that most people aren’t comfortable selling themselves as they have not been taught how to.
The good news is that the economy is improving and job are available so blaming the economy is no longer an option. Now is the time to stand out from all the other job candidates and learn to love the product you’re selling: YOU! let’s say no to boring, reactive job searches and a big yes to high energy and proactive job campaigns! Common sense, alone, would tell us that if job seekers package and present themselves the same as their competition, hiring managers won’t be able to differentiate any of them from all of them.
The Starting Point? Love Yourself
To land a good job at a good pay in today’s job market, you must love the product you are selling: therefore you! It’s just like sales; you must believe in the product so simply believe in yourself and be confident that you have significant value to prospective employers. When you believe in, and love the product you’re selling, you will land the job of your dreams in no time.
3 Strategies to Help you Love Yourself
1) Blow your own horn loud and clear or no one will hear you. Your résumé can’t be a boring, assembly line, look-alike obituary as no employer will want to read your biography anyways. Today’s résumés must be attractive, powerful, self-marketing profiles that communicate your value. Don’t be afraid to take a risk and be different, stand out. Here are a few points you should put forward for employers to see.
- What makes you different from other job seekers?
- What contributions can you make that would dazzle employers?
- What problems can you solve and what organizational goals can you help achieve?
2) Know the stories that make you valuable. Have authentic stories to share with prospective employers and clearly explain how your skills and knowledge translated into past achievements and contributions; because hiring managers know that past accomplishments are important indicators of future performance.
- What problems did you solve in past positions and what did you improve?
- What ideas have you come up with that made a positive impact?
Results are the name of the game and numbers tell the whole story. Your stories must provide clear evidence that you delivered more in value than you were compensated for.
3) Be confident and self-assured. Most people associate self-confidence with arrogance; and nothing could be further from the truth. Confidence attracts opportunities while self-doubt does not. Successful sales and marketing professionals effectively communicate the features and benefits of the product or services they sell. Job seekers must also know what skills they posses and what results they can produce that are valuable to prospective employers. Be yourself, love yourself and be:
highly enthusiastic and self-motivated
genuine and authentic
polished and communicative