Selling Yourself in the Job Search

Selling Yourself in the Job SearchSelling Yourself in the Job SearchWhat?? This eclectic, accomplished professional immediately lumps himself along with thousands of others by picking one of the most generic things on his resume. The MBA was from a good school, yes. It was an interesting counterparte to his otherwise very technical background, check. So it deserves to be mentioned, sure. But leid first Its still much more plain vanilla than any of the other things he also had.So, rule 1 for your pitch is to lead with the memorable. As a recruiter, Ive interviewed tons of MBAs (this guy wanted a financial services career, so no shortage of MBAs there). But, I can count the number of successful entrepreneurs and/ or fashion models. Are you a black belt in karate, a former prima ballerina, fluent in multiple languages? Dont be afraid to be unique.Im not suggesting to not mention the MBA at all. Its a key part of his added value because he has the finance and technology combination. But its the combination thats so interesting. So, rule 2 is to frame your qualities so that they build on each other. Absolutely mention the different degrees youve completed, industries where youve worked, and functional roles that youve held. But weave them into a coherent plot line so that each adds a welcome dimension, not just another factoid for me to remember. So you started and sold a tech company and have an MBA from Top School X interesting comboResults still matter. The wine stood out because it was Paris, the modeling was significant because he had worked at a top level, and the entrepreneurship added value because of his successful exit. (The MBA also fits in nicely because its from a top school.) You cant just mention every interesting thing you do, like fluency in Pig Latin, if there is no business context. When I listed out black belt, prima ballerina or language fluency as possible unique items, these are all levels of mastery.So, rule 3 is to pick the qualities tha t have substantive results to back them up. You want to intrigue but also amaze.Your pitch is how you introduce yourself at networking events, informational interviews, on your cover letter, to your friends friends. It is how you answer that interview staple, Tell me about yourself. It defines your brand and therefore drives your search. The pitch is critical to positioning yourself for the right role at the right level. Be memorable. Build on your strengths. Lead with results.Posted by Caroline Ceniza-Levine