4 Strategies to Promote You, the Product, While Job Searching
One of the central themes in my book, What You Need To Know To Get A Job Now! , is that you are the product you are trying to promote during your job search. And, by the way, even when you land, you are still promoting the product of you as you impress your managers and obtain new projects and roles within the organization. Tom Peters, in his article The Brand Called You, discusses this concept very thoroughly. He says that you are the CEO of Me, Inc. and challenges you to figure out what you stand for.
You possess a set of skills, qualifications, education credentials, talents and wisdom that makes you a business unit unto yourself. How you market that during your job search is very important. When you know what you bring to the table, you can better articulate how you match up to the opportunities at hand.
4 strategies to promote the product of you:
- ONE - You must understand that your resume is your brochure – it advertises you. Therefore, it needs to market it you well – to sell the concept of what you offer. Be sure the structure, format and content is relevant and laid out in such a way as to emphasize your brand.
- TWO - Always carry professional business cards to use during your networking efforts. Put your LinkedIn URL on it. (By the way, if you’re in Austin on Monday, come to the DBM office at 10am, located in the Arboretum at 9600 Great Hills Trail, Ste. 130E. I’ll be giving a presentation about using LinkedIn as a job search strategy. All are welcome.)
- THREE - You should always be “on” – you never know if the person you run into at the grocery store will be the one who can hook you up with your next interview… or might even be the person you’ll interview with.
- FOUR - The secret to a successful interview is not making a world-class pitch about yourself. Instead, listen to what they need, ask questions and then practice the needs-based selling technique. In other words, make everything you say be about how you, the product, helps them with their needs.
In the new world of work, cultivating your individual brand, your “saleable distinction”, is not optional. –Tom Peters
Angela Loëb is an author, speaker and co-owner of Great Occupations. She and her partner, Jay Markunas, help people make successful career transitions through workshops, webclasses, personalized coaching sessions, as well as through The Job Search Boot Camp Show. Find out more at www.greatoccupations.com.
Hey, don’t forget to tune in today at 2pm to KOOP 91.7 – I’m going to be interviewed on “The Idea Lounge” by the award winning producer and host, Khotan Harmon!
