Most job search advice includes the concept of “selling yourself.” Here are some ideas that can assist and guide you toward developing an effective “sales” campaign on your own behalf.
KNOW YOUR PRODUCT (YOU) : If this sounds easy and obvious, it is not. It takes some time and thought to clearly identify who you are and what you offer. Before you can bring the “product” to the marketplace, not only do you need to define its features, but also how your product (you) benefits the employer. Try not to be self conscious, but rather be as objective as you can in identifying your skills, talents, experience and traits.
Start by listing the skills acquired from your education. Then list the skills you acquired from your working experience, one job at a time. In addition to skills and experience, you should recognize the talents and personal traits you bring to the job. These would include, for example, such things as attention to detail, the ability to learn quickly, patience, enthusiasm, pride in your work, and getting along well with co-workers and customers.
Once you have gathered this information, it will be used in your resume, your cover letters, and your personal introduction on the phone or in networking situations. You will also use this information later on in the interview process, particularly when the interviewer asks that timeless question, “Tell me about yourself.”
KNOW YOUR MARKET (Who needs what you are selling? or in other words – potential employers)
A paralegal, for instance, will want to first identify legal firms in the targeted geographic area. In addition, he or she may also want to identify businesses that are large enough to have their own in-house legal department.
The more general your skills, the greater the possibilities, and the more homework you will need to do to identify and narrow your target market. For example, someone who is trained and skilled in customer service operations will want to think about the kind of business environment they would prefer. Large? Small? Manufacturing? Service?
Supply and demand of certain skills will cycle. You will alternately hear that there are teacher surpluses or shortages; healthcare surpluses or shortages, etc. People with skills in current demand will have a greater number of employment opportunities, and therefore can be more selective.
PLAN YOUR SALES CAMPAIGN (How you will reach your target market.)
Any sales campaign, including your job search campaign, will require a plan of action. How will you get visibility with the people who can potentially hire you?
The most effective way to find a job is to utilize a multiple approach: networking plus a direct campaign, plus “published” sources, including the classifieds and the internet. Depending on your situation, you might also consider using a recruitment agency.
Your campaign will be most effective if you actually write a simple plan, with weekly or monthly goals. It is well known that people who are successful in reaching their goals usually have them written in some form. To assist you in being more effective in your job search, develop a plan of action.
If this is uncomfortable to you, start small and keep it simple. For instance, week one goal might be to make one networking contact, send out three responses to openings, and send out five resumes to target companies who might use your skills. Having a plan will not only put structure into your process, it will be a visible measure of your efforts. As you progress, you might alter your approach based on what is working best for you.
CLOSING OR FINALIZING THE SALE (getting your “customer”, or employer to “buy” -make you a job offer.)
Once given the chance to interview, you will need to convince the decision makers that you are the right person for the job. This translates not only to possessing the right skills and talents, but also having self-confidence and conveying this to the manager.
The most successful salespeople are those who are genuinely enthusiastic about the product they are selling. To effectively close the sale, you will need to convince the “buyer” that he or she will receive the best benefit or value from their investment in your product (YOU).
