I am starting this blog because many a professional (and many a student) told me I have the gift of pinpointing exactly what to say to land the job I want. Consider this: I sent out 10 resumes, I got 13 interviews, and I had 5 job offers within two weeks.
I work in PR and know how to pitch things, including myself. That's the angle I take and it's working. I am happy to post my insights, share my advice, and work with you personally on your own job search and interview preparation.
What's the Catch?
Finding the right angle for a resume and cover letter is challenging, especially when you have a large pool of jobs and specialties to share. I've sent out many resumes before, resumes my career center at my university approved and called perfect. This resume listed all my professional jobs, all my extra curricular activities, and all my charitable work. After all, that's what companies want to see right? They want to see how much you can handle and how much you're involved. WRONG! They do not want to see how much you're involved. They could care less about all the jobs you've held and all the charities you support with all your heart. They want to see ONE THING ONLY: What you can do FOR THEM.
Think of it this way: You are not advertising yourself. You are selling yourself as a product. Sometimes, that means you are selling only a specific feature of you.
Think of Yourself as a Fridge
Think of you as a buyer. Say you're in the market to buy a fridge. You are looking for certain features, right? You want a large refrigerator section, a decent sized freezer, 2 doors, and a water and ice dispenser. You could care less if the fridge also has the ability to bake a pie, call your office, or mop the floor. You already have an oven, a phone, and a swiffer for that. Now, if there's an option of hot and cold water instead of just a cold water dispenser, that's awesome. If there are inside drawers, perfect. If there's an option for a small compartment that's easily accessible through a small outside door (say to hold your lunch, or the most important items inside a fridge) - awesome! You might even pay a little bit more to have those conveniences.
Can You Be a Washer, too?
Start thinking of yourself as this fridge. Once you start marketing yourself as a product, you're on a winning track. You don't want to be a fancy fridge, you don't want to be a fridge that's too complex to figure out. And remember most importantly: You don't want to be an old, or outdated fridge. You want to be top of the line, but you do want to be a fridge. Unless the buyer you're talking to is in the market to buy a washer. Then you'll want to be a washer.
Once you internalize this principle, you have the right start and you're on the way to a thriving career you will love. For all the details on how to do all this right, stay posted and subscribe to my RSS feed! Love to share and hear your opinions!
I work in PR and know how to pitch things, including myself. That's the angle I take and it's working. I am happy to post my insights, share my advice, and work with you personally on your own job search and interview preparation.
What's the Catch?
Finding the right angle for a resume and cover letter is challenging, especially when you have a large pool of jobs and specialties to share. I've sent out many resumes before, resumes my career center at my university approved and called perfect. This resume listed all my professional jobs, all my extra curricular activities, and all my charitable work. After all, that's what companies want to see right? They want to see how much you can handle and how much you're involved. WRONG! They do not want to see how much you're involved. They could care less about all the jobs you've held and all the charities you support with all your heart. They want to see ONE THING ONLY: What you can do FOR THEM.
Think of it this way: You are not advertising yourself. You are selling yourself as a product. Sometimes, that means you are selling only a specific feature of you.
Think of Yourself as a Fridge
Think of you as a buyer. Say you're in the market to buy a fridge. You are looking for certain features, right? You want a large refrigerator section, a decent sized freezer, 2 doors, and a water and ice dispenser. You could care less if the fridge also has the ability to bake a pie, call your office, or mop the floor. You already have an oven, a phone, and a swiffer for that. Now, if there's an option of hot and cold water instead of just a cold water dispenser, that's awesome. If there are inside drawers, perfect. If there's an option for a small compartment that's easily accessible through a small outside door (say to hold your lunch, or the most important items inside a fridge) - awesome! You might even pay a little bit more to have those conveniences.
Can You Be a Washer, too?
Start thinking of yourself as this fridge. Once you start marketing yourself as a product, you're on a winning track. You don't want to be a fancy fridge, you don't want to be a fridge that's too complex to figure out. And remember most importantly: You don't want to be an old, or outdated fridge. You want to be top of the line, but you do want to be a fridge. Unless the buyer you're talking to is in the market to buy a washer. Then you'll want to be a washer.
Once you internalize this principle, you have the right start and you're on the way to a thriving career you will love. For all the details on how to do all this right, stay posted and subscribe to my RSS feed! Love to share and hear your opinions!