When it comes to finding a new job, you can reach your goals quickly if you have a strong understanding of how to effectively market your skills and yourself. Accompanying this there is a need to understand yourself and what you are looking for in your career. If you have a strong self-understanding the easier it will be for you to market your abilities to prospective employers.
The “Great Resignation” that is happening in the job market is making it easier for candidates to find roles, or even have a choice of offers for jobs, this allows candidates to take the time to get into a company that works for them.
Many employers are looking for individuals who can effectively communicate, solve problems, and are also looking for dependable people. These seem like basic skills that anyone can add to their resume but coming up with actual appliable examples of how you can help employers in this aspect can help you stand out during the job search process.
Getting to Know Yourself and Your Market
Understanding yourself and your market is step one in marketing your talent in the job sphere. Ask yourself some questions. What motivates or inspires you? What are you drawn to? Where do you see yourself going long term? What is my job market like? Knowing what gets you moving to be better and do more can help you understand your market and where you want to go.
Think about the following when getting to know yourself and your next career move:
- What made you happy at your last job?
- Was there anything at your last job that made you upset or frustrated?
- What transferable skills do I have?
- What are the characteristics of my workplace work for me, and what would I like to see in my next job?
- What rewards are important for me from a workplace standpoint?
Thinking about these kinds of things should help you brainstorm and get a grasp on what works for you. Make a mind map and jot down your thoughts as you go. This method will help you to understand what makes you happy in a job and it will help to cultivate and carve out what you need in a job and how your skills can help you move forward.
Marketing Your Skills
Understanding your marketable skills and how to present them to employers is the next step in putting your profile out there to get noticed by employers. Employers are looking for individuals who know how to present themselves in the job market, but also to stakeholders, clients, and customers. If you know how to present yourself to an employer then this will not only prove that you are knowledgeable of yourself and your industry, but it will also prove confidence and strong communication skills – which are skills most employers want in a potential candidate.
When marketing your skills come up with a script that you can do interchangeably when communicating with employers. A few of the things you can do are:
Come up with a strong elevator pitch: Creating you 30 to 90-second elevator pitch will help you to effectively communicate your thoughts. Focus on what the employer is looking for and provide examples of how you can meet the employer’s needs through discussing your education, work experience, and soft skills. Do not retell your resume, but rather give the employer a snapshot as to why you are a good fit for the job.
Brand your skills: Give yourself a brand, create a website or online career portfolio, along with a great LinkedIn profile. Show your work, and what you did to let others know about your expertise. Also interacting with others in your profession using social media is a great way to connect to others and let people know what you are all about in the professional world.
Connecting with Others
Connecting with others is a great way to build your platform and it is also a chance to develop relationships. Never approach a person you are interested in talking to with the mindset as to what they can do for you. Show interest in them and see how you can be of assistance to them. For example, if you see a connection on LinkedIn that has a background like yours, or perhaps you studied at the same university, let them know why you are connecting with them. Be genuine and strike up a conversation!
Another method of connecting is to volunteer and get involved with your local community. Get to know others in the community that you want to be involved with. That could be anything from volunteering to rehome dogs and cats by doing their social media, to helping a non-profit by volunteering to be their receptionist for a few hours a week. This will get you to connect with people who are in your area of interest and could potentially lead to future employment.
Finally…
Always keep your mind open, let others know about you and your abilities. Network, connect and share your ideas and knowledge on social media. Marketing yourself is just as much about letting others know who you are, as it is getting to know about others.
Bliss + You 