Just as a politician wants to be elected, the job seeker wants to be selected. You need to campaign for a job just like a politician campaigns for office.
A political candidate will develop five to six key messages about themselves that will differentiate them from the other candidates. He or she will weave these messages into every aspect of their campaign. Just like a politician, you can use brief statements about yourself to set you apart from the other candidates applying for the job. Target the five or six differentiators that will set you apart from everyone else; then one sentence for each differentiator. Keep revising each sentence until you arrive at a clear, concise thought for each differentiator. Once you develop your differentiators, integrate these key statements into networking, business cards, resumes, cover letters and interviews. Remember, you are in control of your message; discover your unique qualities and how they can illuminate your current career path.
As you begin to write your resume and to prepare for interviews, you market your uniqueness with these differentiators which enable you to stand out in a sea of qualified candidates. Your resume will also contain qualifiers, such as educational background and work experience that will get you an interview like all the other qualified candidates. But it is the differentiators you communicate about yourself that generates the job offer. Just as a politician’s differentiators make the candidate rise above the other candidates to get voted into office, your differentiators make you rise above the other candidates to receive the employer’s vote of confidence.
Need help defining and refining your differentiators? A Synko Associates' career coach can help. Call 734-332-8800 x 212.
