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Selling
Yourself
Following are some helpful tips from a sales professional
on how to market yourself to prospective employers
through out your job search process. After all when it comes to employment
you are very much a sales person marketing your skills and abilities.
The key is to regard your job search as a newly launched
sales campaign. It's up to you to utilize the resources you have at hand
to reach your target market and sell them on the idea of hiring you.
The first step in this process is to define your
product. In this case you are the product, so it is critical that
you understand both what you're seeking and what you have to offer. Take a
few moments to answer the following questions- and be honest with yourself as
you do.
| Define
Your Product:
1) Desires- What are you
seeking? What do you want to do? Where would you like
to work? What industry are you hoping
to work in? What salary range would you like to see?
2) Skills-
What skills to you have to
offer an employer? What experience do you bring to a new
company? What can you do for them?
3) Needs- This is the flip
side of Desires. What is the minimum pay you can accept?
What do you absolutely need, financial, professional and so forth in
your next position. |
The next step, after defining the product, is to better
identify your target market. This step will lay the ground work for how
you initiate your job search.
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Research
Your Target Market:
1) Companies- What
employers in the area match your desires? What types of companies
offer what you're seeking?
2) Jobs-
What positions are the best
match for your skills? For your personality? What jobs meet
your personal goals for scheduling and other criteria?
3) Research
Resources- Where can you find information about these area companies
or specific details about these positions? Possible resources
include: the library, newspapers, trade papers, company websites
and promotional information, the area chamber of commerce, professional
societies and organizations and networking groups. |
At this point, you've probably begun to collect a pretty
significant amount of information. The last stage is to organize your
research and formulate an effective plan and put it to use.
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Make a
Plan:
1) Be Pro-active,
not Re-active- Even if a particular target company doesn't
seem to have an available position, don't hesitate to contact them to
discuss your background and skills. This not only allows you to
network more effectively, but it gives you the opportunity to learn more
about other positions or companies that may interest you.
Further it gives you the clear advantage of not simply competing with
hundreds of other responses to a listed opening.
2) Celerity Cover Letter- Don't
use a standard 'cloned' cover letter for every opening. Instead,
make your cover letter stand out, tailor it specifically to the company
you're contacting. The cover letter is more than a formality, it
is an opportunity for you to highlight your skills and market your
abilities. The more effectively you can highlight your fit for
each position, the more likely you are to be granted an interview.
3) Celerity Resume- Revise each resume you send with a specific position
in mind if possible. The resume and cover letter are a team.
Use the cover letter to give them a preview of your experience and
skills and follow-up with a well written, focused resume. Be
certain to include as many skills and achievements that can be directly
related to the current opening as possible. Use powerful language
and detail specific accomplishments. |
Remember
PERSISTENCE
IS KEY IN SALES AND KEY IN LANDING A JOB!
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