That's Teena Rose's approach to the entire job-hunting process, from the cover letter and résumé; to the interview and final negotiations.
"Job seekers basically just talk about themselves and give a very one-dimensional, very flat description of what they do best, instead of selling themselves to prospective employers by emphasizing the value they bring to the company," said Rose, president of Résumé; to Referral, a career consulting firm in Springfield, Ohio.
Rose, a certified professional résumé; writer with a national clientele, opened her company in 1999.
Choice words
Your choice of words during your job search will make you and your accomplishments more marketable. "A superior choice of words makes a difference," said Rose. "For instance, instead of saying you never missed a sales deadline, say your work always was delivered on time and within budget."
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The reference to budget also is an important part of your sales pitch. "Employers are looking for anything that will positively affect their bottom line," the consultant said.
And brevity isn't always highly desirable.
"Many job seekers, particularly in the job interview, tend to cut their statements short," Rose said. "They'll say 'I saved the company money,' when it would be better to expand on it further and say 'I saved money, time and resources.'"
Try on their moccasins
The secret of selling yourself also lies in putting yourself in the shoes of the hiring manager, she said. "When you have an interview, think of the needs of the company -- and then focus on them."
Rose is such a strong advocate of using the time you have to market yourself the most efficiently that it also shows up in her voice mail message.
"My previous message was boring, mostly a thank you for calling message," she related. "So I got 50 to 60 percent hangups from potential clients. But then, I recorded a new message which begins: "Perfect, you've finally decided to do something about your career. I'm certified, I'm published and a member of the Better Business Bureau. It doesn't get any better than that."
Today, she has only a 1 percent hang-up rate.
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And that's selling, not just telling.
