You’ve heard of marketing a brand, a business or even an image, but what about marketing yourself? In today’s professional world, employers are on the lookout for employees who know themselves so they can sell themselves—just like they would sell a product.
The job market is a tough place to be, but with the right tactics, you don’t have to be there for long. With today’s competition, how can you land your dream job? Check out some of these useful tips for marketing and selling yourself to potential employers in the market.
1. Know yourself.
If you want to sell yourself to potential employers, you first have to know your product—the product being you. Before any interviews or employer interactions, take some time to ask yourself tough questions, and really get to know yourself.
What are your goals in life, short-term and long-term? What are your core values? What successes or failures have shaped you? Knowing the answers to questions like these will show employers you’re professional, prepared and know who you are.
2. Be specific.
Recruiters have already heard all the answers: “I’m a hard worker”; “I have a positive attitude”; “I’m a team player,” etc. If you want to stand out from other recruits, avoid empty clichés like these. Be specific in what you say, choose unique words which truly exemplify your point.
Give examples. For instance, you’re not just a hard worker; you’re a dedicated worker because the last position you held was completely new and you developed it from the ground up. Be intentional with your words and examples, and say what you mean rather than just droning on.
3. Find what sets you apart.
This is an age-old marketing tactic: beat out competition by telling buyers why your product is different. What sets you apart from all other job-seekers? Is it your years of experience, your unique management style, your new ideas?
Find a story or example that shows something unique you have to offer. In the end, employers aren’t going to remember the person who simply went through the motions and said the right thing—they’re going to remember the person who said the right thing in a distinctive way and stood out from the crowd.
4. Watch nonverbals.
In his research, Professor Albert Mehrabian, PhD, found communication is 93% nonverbal—55% body language and 38% tone of voice. This means only 7% of what you communicate with employers is the words actually coming out of your mouth. So if you want to sell yourself in the job market, be aware of your nonverbal communication and what it is saying.
For instance, watch your posture, facial expressions, appendages and eye contact. Practicing interviews with friends or family beforehand can be a great way to recognize what nonverbal communication you’re doing well or not-so-well, and then improving from there.
5. Stay positive.
Finally, be sure to keep all your potential employer interactions positive. Bringing negative energy or stories into an interview situation can make you seem difficult to work with or even disloyal. No matter how your last job experience went, focus on turning the situation into a positive example for the hiring manager.
The job market can be a tough place to be, but if you know how to market yourself correctly, you’ll come out on the other side unscathed. Try out some of these selling tactics to impress your future employer and nail that dream job.
