Every week, NETSHARE hosts Ask the Coach, a phone-in coaching session with leading career management experts. Here is an excerpt from a recent session with Cindy Kraft, The CFO Coach.
In this week’s coach call, Cindy started with some sound advice for executive job seekers (or any job seeker); remember this is not about you!
To be successful, you always need to have the employer’s perspective foremost in mind. Your job search is not about what you want, or need, or expect. It has to be about the value you offer and what you can do for the company. You have to demonstrate value that goes right to their bottom line. You have to be able to explain how you will relieve their immediate pain, improve their workflow process, increase profitability or productivity, and generally improve their operation.
When you recognize your unique contribution – your personal brand –and can articulate it effectively, you will begin to compete with little competition. Very few job seekers lead effectively with a “value-drive” resume, instead of a responsibility-driven resume, i.e. this is what I can do for you rather than this is what I did in the past.
Remember that anyone who has held that position in the past has mastered the basic requirements of the job; that’s the price of admission. You need to articulate where you go above and beyond the basics. What extra skills and assets do you bring to the table to make you stand out? How have you increased the ROI for your previous companies? Even if you are not in sales or marketing role, you need to be able to quantify your results and show that you can do the same for your prospective employer. You need to be able to make statements like, “Bad decisions caused X and Y but under my leadership I was able to implement Z which resulted in an in A.”
Your cover letter is your best tool to demonstrate your value. In a cover letter you can make it clear what you can do for the company. Show you can walk the talk by backing up your experience using the CAR formula – challenge, action, results – so the story speaks to your value.
If you can take the time to master four basic tools:
- Creating a resume that demonstrates value;
- Master an effective solutions-oriented cover letter
- Nurture your network by giving and receiving; and
- Show you can do the job by using the CAR formula to demonstrate value,
Then you will have a distinct advantage over others competing for the same job.
