Ace the Job Interview: Know Your Value Proposition
Don’t ever forget when you are on a job search that you are in business for yourself, or should I say the business of self. Yes, you represent your own corporation, i.e. YOU, Inc. As the CEO of your start-up company you must also put on all the hats that a solo business owner must wear, including the marketing hat.
Any savvy business owner knows that he must not only produce the product or service, he must also have a clear picture in mind of just who needs/wants it and be able to sell the customer on just why his particular offering is better than that of the competition. In other words he must craft the value proposition for his product or service.
For you, the customer is the hiring manager. She may be scanning scores of resumes to decide whom to interview. She will likely interview a number that meet the basic qualifications that have been determined for the position. So what will make her hire you over those others who may be equally qualified? In other words, what makes you better than all the other people who are competing for the same job? That’s what the hiring manager wants to know.
When a business owner is marketing his product or service he takes time to research his market. Have you researched your target company so that you can specifically answer that implied (if not directly posed) question being asked by the hiring manager? Did you check out websites and other information about your target company before sending the resume? You must find out who they are, how they think (company culture), their challenges, and what they need or want. Did you then customize your resume to highlight what you can deliver to that customer to fulfill that specific need? When you were called in for the interview did you use that research to plan how you would communicate your value in their language?
You know, your competition for a job may not even be equally qualified, but may be great at marketing themselves and attracting an employer’s attention. That can give them a real advantage.
Be not only the best qualified, but also be the candidate who can best articulate her unique value and benefit to the organization, thus showcasing her assets. Now that’s a sure fire job search strategy!
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