Do you know how to sell your value and skillset in an interview?
Look. We all do it… we are afraid to sound boastful or like we are bragging.
There is a fine line between not wanting to brag and not wanting to promote yourself. In an interview, you have to own your accomplishments and stop selling yourself short!
How to sell yourself on a resume
I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again. Your resume is a marketing tool. It’s not just a list of jobs you’ve held.
You need to stop telling yourself that you just got the job done or you did what you were supposed to do.
Think about how you gained the skills for something. Talk about how you led the team to success.
Dig down deep and analyze what you’ve done. If you completed a project that you thought was just part of the job… how did you find the project team, how did you set up expectations, how did you manage the work, what were the results, what feedback did you get from your leaders, etc.
Own your successes!
Someone else overseeing the same project or task might not have been successful. But YOU were able to make it successful.
Stop listing your job duties on your resume and start listing your accomplishments on your resume.
I promise you that it’s not bragging!
As a recruiter, I need to see these things to make me want to move forward with you as a candidate. Don’t sell yourself short.
How to sell yourself in a cover letter
Understanding how to write a cover letter is super important. You also need to know when a cover letter is appropriate.
Your resume needs to be short and to the point. It doesn’t go into extreme detail or let you explain different things.
Your cover letter is a great place to put additional detail that you can’t fit on your resume.
You can use it to explain your reasoning for things or what else you can bring to the table.
A lot of companies now a days don’t require a cover letter. However, I think it’s a great way to share your accomplishments in more detail.
Again…. Don’t shy away from what you’ve achieved!
Think about something your achieved or did better than anyone else and write about it. Talk about how you got started and what you ended up with. Explain what it taught you and how it honed curtained skilled that correspond well with the job you are applying for.
How to sell yourself in an interview
Once your resume and cover letter get past the applicant tracking system or recruiter and you land an interview, you need to sit down and seriously think about what you’ve done in your career.
Recent examples work best. Try to limit your responses in interview to your most recent position or last two jobs.
You do not need to preface talking about your accomplishments with “I was just doing my job,” or “I was responsible for…”
Go right in and say “I was able to do xzy which brought in $xxx for my organization, leading to xyz.”
OWN IT.
You didn’t just do your job. You did your job really well and was able to make an impact within your organization.
Ask yourself more questions about the simple project and find more to say about it. Really understand your part and how you impacted the outcome.
Be confident and get what you deserve.
Do you need help uncovering your accomplishments? Schedule a free consultation and get some help!