I remember a couple of years ago when I was conducting an employment transition workshop, a few of the participants were surprised to learn that they could be asked this question in an interview:
"Why should we hire you?"
If you have been actively interviewing, you may have already experienced this question - the reality is that whether you are asked the question directly or not, it is always implied.
In a sea of qualified job seekers or among a wide pool of top performing colleagues, why should they hire you for the job or pick you for the promotion?
The obvious answer is that you emphasize your unique strengths and really promote your personal brand. The problem that many professional women face is twofold:
-- They have not taken the time to really understand their strengths and individual value, instead they depend on the boss to determine their career path and growth.
-- They do not feel comfortable talking about their strengths or selling themselves for high profile projects and well-deserved promotions.
Well, let's address the first issue at hand - do you know your key strengths, can you describe your top personality traits and are you aware of what adjectives others (bosses, friends, colleagues, family) use to describe you time and time again.
Here are five resources and tools that can assist you in knowing what you have to offer:
1) Try the Keirsey Type indicator (www.keirsey.com) and use the results to identify keywords that express who you are and describe your personality traits.
2) Read the book, "Now Discover Your Strengths" to help you uncover the top five strengths you can use to channel your career growth - each book comes with an individual assessment.
3) Take a journey to personal branding with the book, "Career Distinctions" by Kirsten Dixson and William Arruda, the pioneer in personal branding for professionals and executives.
4) Review your performance evaluations and/or feedback forms from the past five years and take note of recurring statements, adjectives and other statements made about you.
5) Use the automated brand assessment tool available through Reach Communications (www.reachcc.com/360reach) and get anonymous, candid feedback on your strengths.
Career success is a process and a journey - in the same way that a sturdy house is built with a strong foundation first, you have to be armed with solid understanding of what you have to offer before launching a career marketing campaign.
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