Imagine sitting in a lobby waiting for an interview. You look around and all those waiting are as professional and qualified as you…
- Graduates from top schools.
- Possess years of experience in your field.
- Have achieved impressive triumphs in their careers.
In other words, they are ALL highly QUALIFIED. Again, highly QUALIFIED!! What will you say during this interview that is special and more compelling in order to outdistance others? What is your USP (unique selling point) and what does that translate to so it’s a benefit for your new employer?
Standout from the Crowd of Experts
The number 1 strategy job seekers neglect is the selling of their UVP (unique value proposition) over other qualified candidates. Your competition is not the under-performer with an unpolished resume and poor communication skills! (Wouldn’t that be easy?)
Your competitor is smart, hired a professional resume writer, is articulate, and accomplished. So, you, must introspect, dig deep, and develop a enthralling marketing plan that persuades from resume, to online brand, to interview, and through follow-up by seducing your employer with the promise of success through a differentiating value you, and only you, can offer.
You must examine your career performance, find those special ways in which you deliver results–own them and promote them! Because to win in this challenged job market, you must sell a unique value proposition/a brand/a differentiating value.
Deep-dive Analysis
So how do you go about this? Take out your pen and paper or better yet, open your MS Word program and answer the following questions:
1. Why would an employer hire me over others who are qualified?
You are not allowed to answer this question with education, years of experience, or industry knowledge. Sorry! Yes. These are important and you must leverage them but these are qualifiers. Remember, your competition is qualified—we are looking to nudge your employer over the fence by dangling a gem.
2. What is my unique value and how will this impact my future employer?
When others speak of you, what do they say? What have you been consistently recognized for? How have you delivered in areas that no one else could?
3. What guarantee can I make to my future employer?
It is not enough you have discovered your brand or USP/UVP—you must market it and convince the employer to switch/buy what you are selling.
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4. What in my past can I use to substantiate my personal brand or unique value proposition?
Convincing is done with examples, stories, and references. You must prove it.
5. Is this message delivered consistently and persuasively across all my self-marketing efforts?
These materials include your resume, cover letter, interview performance, online social profiles, and self publishing content. The more consistent you are in the promotion of your image across all materials/communications—the more believable you will be—the more trust you will gain—the more you will convince.
The game has gotten tougher folks! The same way in which you make purchasing decisions (you want to get the best for the money)—employers want to hire the best for the salary and they desire to not make a mistake in hiring you.
Present and position yourself over the competition, dominate, close the deal by reassuring you are unique and not only are you qualified, but you will deliver above the rest!
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