Market Yourself Better

There is a thin line between selling yourself and making yourself saleable. No matter how badly you want the job, the trick is to appear composed and confident.

In the words of Richard Bolles, “the average college graduate has between eight hundred and two thousand marketable skills." It is essential to effectively display these skills and qualities in a bid to try and gain an edge over the multitudes of other candidates.


Before planning an effective self marketing strategy, it is essential that you thoroughly understand your career objectives and skills, along with their relevance to the job you are applying for.


Your resume is a vehicle to market yourself. Tailor your CV according to the job being applied to: highlight the experience and skill sets most relevant to that job.


Establish an on-line presence for yourself. This serves as a secondary resume. Social networking sites have gained importance at the professional level. However, be wary of what you post on these sites as your information is a simple name-search away. Networking builds contacts that might come in handy in the future. Post job hunt too, networking skills also assist in expanding one’s career options.


Be sure to stay on top of the news and trends in your industry.


Analyse the job market and the employers you wish to target. Most candidates make the mistake of prioritizing their needs over those of the employers. Put yourself in the shoes of your potential employer and shape your profile accordingly. Because a company invests time, space and monetary factors into every hire, it is essential that you match their needs with your adaptability and team player skills.


Research the company you are applying to so that you have a clear overview of the company policies, their value system and organizational structure, that way you can ensure that you will fit well within the organization. There are a surprising number of candidates who underestimate the importance of this step. Study the job position you are applying for and make sure you are clear on the responsibilities it involves. Contact the company and tell them you are interested in working for them. If there’s no position currently vacant, make sure that your CV goes into their HR database. Do refrain from incessantly contacting companies though.


Mock interviews help to build interaction skills. You should have a ready answer for the trick question “Tell me about yourself”. This question often sees candidates stumbling while trying to compress their personalities into a brief answer. Also, when asked for your weakness, please refrain from providing clichéd answers such as ‘I am a perfectionist’. Be honest, yet package it well.


Finally, you have been called for an interview. Congrats! No pitch is as persuasive as an effective personal one. Keep in mind that the pitch has to be subtle and not a straight out sales job. The first impression is very important; pay attention to personal grooming, body language and conduct. Interviews are to be tightly sealed with adequate and effective preparation. Follow up your interview with a thank you call or email, this process seals an effective interview process.


Know yourself well to market yourself well!