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| Article Listing | Search Articles | More Articles in Interview Tips | More Articles by Kathleen Watson, MBA |
Giving Voice To Your Value |
| by Kathleen Watson, MBA - 2010-02-04 |
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| "This article talks about how to give voice to your value during an interview." |
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"Curious things, habits. People themselves never knew they had them."
Dame Agatha Christie certainly had it right. Habits make our lives so much easier by allowing us to put routine tasks on auto-pilot. The down side is that they can also be horrendously counter-productive. A case in point is our habitual way of introducing ourselves at networking events, both formal and informal.
Think about it. Many, if not most, people introduce themselves with something along the lines of, "My name is blah, I'm a blah blah, and I work at blah blah blah." Pretty darn exciting, huh? Not to mention the fact that two people with identical job titles can have vastly different backgrounds and skill sets.
Of course, there's an even bigger apparent problem with this boring approach when you're in job transition: You currently lack an employer to include as part of the name-rank-and-serial-number introduction. However, there is some good news that comes along with no longer having a spot on the organizational chart to hang your hat on. You're now free to let go of your easy-yet-boring introduction and create a new one that truly showcases your unique skill set. You can focus your energies on providing a compelling answer to the most important question in a prospective employer's mind: "What's in it for me to hire you?"
So: How exactly do you develop a new habit of leading with your value instead of your job title and employer? The following steps will help you think about yourself and your background in new ways.
- Focus on outcomes rather than activities. While it's true that employers typically have a laundry list of "required qualifications", what they're really concerned about is you being able to produce desirable outcomes for the company. Those qualifications are mostly an attempt to ensure that you're able to produce. Make it easy for the employer to find you attractive: Talk about the results you've created in past positions and how you can do the same in your new job.
- Talk value added. When preparing for a job interview, consider creating a two-column list. In one column list your responsibilities, activities, and so forth; label this column "What I do." At the head of the second column, put "Why they care (what I do)." Then, for each item in Column 1, describe in Column 2 how that created value for the company in higher revenues, lower cost of goods sold, increased productivity, reduced turn-over...
- Always address the unspoken "So what?" Don't make the employer deduce your value, and don't allow them to make assumptions. You have the right and responsibility to make it easy for the employer to view you as a valuable addition to the team. This means going beyond quick and dirty answers or statements.
For example, an applicant might say in an interview, "I have an MBA from the Carlson School of Management." However, the "what" - in this case, the MBA - is less important than the "So what?" Why does the employer care about the applicant's degree? Perhaps because the job seeker demonstrated exceptional time-management and multi-tasking skills by completing her degree program while working full time. Perhaps because the degree adds theory to her real-world experience, making it easier for her to get up to speed and quickly become a productive team member. Maybe because it allows her to contribute more fully as a member of cross-functional teams.
The point is this: Always explicitly share why and how your past achievements have developed skills that add value to your new employer.
- Remember that interviewing for a job is a two-way street. Especially if your job search is dragging out, it's easy to start feeling like you're the supplicant, the one who's in the position of "needing help." However, the fact of the matter is that the employer also needs help; the company is experiencing some kind of pain, and they need a good strong aspirin for it. Don't turn all the power over to the hiring organization; you get to interview them, just as they get to interview you. You have something they want, and don't forget it. The trick is to tell your story and share your value in such a way that you make it falling-off-a-log easy for the employer to see you in the role of problem solver.
It's often been said that change is inevitable, but growth is optional. Use some of these tactics to expand your comfort zone and reap the full benefit from a tough situation. And congratulations on getting one-step closer to finding your lucky new employer.
Kathleen Watson, MBA, is a business networking strategist and author of Net Profit: Business Networking Without the Nerves. Learn more at www.yourclientconnection.com or call Kathleen at 952-361-0638.
2010, Kathleen Watson
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