28 Oct Seven Tips For Marketing Yourself

Here’s my crash course in the art of selling yourself.

Assess Your Soft Skills

In 2010, two years of experience might have gotten you hired. No longer — not when you are competing against hundreds of candidates with skills similar to yours. Candidates must now assess their soft skills. “This is about doing a little bit of soul-searching,” Marin says. You should ask yourself about your core competencies, especially mentoring and team-building. “Intangibles are going to sell this individual,” Main notes.

Develop an Elevator Pitch

The elevator pitch is a brief self-marketing statement to be delivered at job fairs, conferences or other networking events. The pitch should echo the summary of a resume, according to Marin, focusing on four key points designed to attract employers’ attention. The pitch should sound informal and unrehearsed. To practice, deliver it

to your answering voice mail, Marin advises.

Learn to Network

As any salesperson understands, who you know is essential to finding leads. Networking is about being able to connect from person to person to person, Marin says. “It’s about building a web of relationships until you meet someone who’s looking for what you do,” he adds. That means attending conferences, classes, various organization functions, and special networking events. Even civic organizations, such as arts groups and other nonprofits, can be useful. Plan lunches or after-work meetings with former colleagues and others.

“Try to be out there and make an effort to be known,” says Marin. “If you sit around and wait for something to happen, you’re going to be disappointed.”

Seek a Support Structure

In order to learn, or relearn, networking and interviewing skills, look to organizations offering workshops or classes, or join your local Chamber of Commerce.

Know Your Audience

Selling yourself effectively means learning everything you can about a company, from the time you write a cover letter to interview day. To get an inside track, you “need to have researched the prospect, be able to speak intelligently about them, and offer a skill set to solve their problems,” says Marin.

Be a Closer

Marin suggests people use a traditional sales tactic for closing the sale. At the end of an interview, ask the interviewer, “Based on this interview, is there anything that would keep you from hiring me for this position?” As Marin notes, “It’s very much a sales-type question.” What’s more, send a follow-up note to the individuals you’ve met at the company, thanking them for their time.

Practice Patience

Finally, don’t be discouraged if landing that client takes weeks or months. “Practice patience each and every day,” says Marin. “You won’t be handed opportunities like you were a year ago.” Put it this way: If you stop looking, you’re out of the game. As any salesperson knows, perseverance is essential to closing the sale.

Good luck.