Selling Your Skills to the Employer

Running your Own Advertising Campaign
A resume is more than a history of your work experience, it's an advertisement for yourself. You need to tell the employer, very concisely, why he or she should hire you; you also need to follow the accepted professional guidelines for resumes, to assure that the employer will want to read your "advertisement."

Sound easy? It is once you figure out a few key things. If the resume is viewed as an advertisement, you might assume that you're selling yourself to prospective employees, which is an uncomfortable idea for most people. Actually, you're not selling yourself, you're selling your abilities, just as a doctor, carpenter, or house cleaner might. Outline your skills and experience, and think about how a company would benefit from having you on board. What you have to offer an employer is what you might want to think of as your product.

Once you've got your product defined, you need to think about your market. In terms of your career, the market represents the companies or career interests you'd like to pursue. Make sure your product and your market are well-matched-- just as you wouldn't try to sell eggs at a dress shop, you want to apply jobs that your skills and experience match well.

Now that you've figured out your product and your market, it'll be much easier to start your ad campaign, which begins with your resume. This is one of the most important documents you'll ever create, and it pays to spend time and attention getting it right. Remember, the resume is your key to getting interviews, which is where you stand to make your best impression.

When you get an interview, prepare carefully. Do your homework. You'll want to research the company and the job thoroughly, and show up looking polished, professional, and comfortable. Get your clothes cleaned, pressed, and laid out the day before. After your interview, send the prospective employer a friendly thank you note, and follow up with a phone call if appropriate.

You might think that once you've landed the job, your advertising days are over. This isn't true at all. The quality of your work, the way you present yourself, and your ability to get along with others at your current job can make or break your professional image. Make sure everything you do at work helps to create a great name for yourself in your career.