Can you articulate your skills?
A lot of people have been out on the job hunt for months and can’t articulate their skills effectively. Or they articulate them in a bland, uninspiring way, like this:
I’m a hard worker.
OR
I’m a great communicator.
OR
I’m an effective leader.
These things may be true, but they do nothing to distinguish you from everyone else who wants the job you’re after. In fact, saying you are a hard worker doesn’t even distinguish you from people who want jobs that don’t interest you or that you’re not qualified for: baseball player, auto mechanic, and lion tamer.
Distinguishing yourself from the competition is the name of the game in marketing—and that’s what you’re trying to do in a job search. So how do you distinguish yourself?
Let’s take “effective leader.” Remember that as leaders go, Adolph Hitler was very effective—at war and mass murder. Bobby Knight, the basketball coach, is effective, but he screams at people and throws chairs around. Obviously, you are very different from them. How so? The key here is precision in your vocabulary.
After some reflection, one manager said:
I create an atmosphere of trust and cooperation that develops top talent.
Another said:
I find and mold good people into highly-motivated and effective teams.
Two others said:
I can come in at the last minute, take charge of failing projects, and make them successful.
And…
I overcome language and cultural barriers to make virtual teams effective on complex technical projects.
Precise language separates you from the pack and gives you an edge on the competition.
