Unless you are a die-hard salesperson, most people don't like to sell things...especially themselves. But isn't that the whole premise of a job interview? Well, yes and no. A job interview is about making sure the position is a right fit - on both ends. And to appeal to the employer as a 'good fit' there is an element of sales involved. As is my advice with all selling, honesty is paramount. However, being honest shouldn't impede your ability to tell the interviewers that you are a brand worth buying. So here's my Selling Yourself 101 advice:
-Make sure you understand what makes you valuable to an employer. Do you possess a specific set of skills that few people have? Are you a great leader? What knowledge do you bring with you? If you don't know what your value is, stop reading this, and start thinking.
-Find the right balance between selling yourself too aggressively and not giving yourself full credit...specific examples work well for this. If you are uncomfortable saying that you are the greatest accountant in the world, then talk about some specific times when you exceeded project goals.
-Practice! You need to practice selling your brand. Or rather, I should say you need to become comfortable speaking about who you are and why you are valuable. This can be tough for many people, so the more you practice it, the better.
Selling is never easy - no matter what the 'product'. But as professionals we need to be aware of what we represent in the job market world and be prepared - when the time comes - to sell it effectively.
