Selling Yourself

During a Discussion I was having the conversation tip toward interviewing, here's what I said.

A sharing moment- As George said we are all salesperson. Most people IMHO do not know how to sell anything let alone selling themselves. Why would they. If all you have ever done were work a lathe 20 years, how would you even begin to sell something you know nothing about? Ever looked at a site where they have a title called "About Me"? What I have seen in those sections is, "I have a hard time talking about myself so if you want to know something just ask". Clear indication they do not even know about their own product "themselves". In my opinion, you can have the best-looking resume, but if you cannot tell someone about you, yourself, your resume is a waste of time. It is just pretty words you cannot backup. All throughout my career, I have been told I need public speaking classes to help me relax when I speak. I have gotten a zillion times better over time because like anything else you have to practice and familiarize yourself with what you are speaking or selling. In my case, it helped me when I was tied to sales. Although my experience has always been in management, sales was a new area to tackle. However, once you are forced to talk to clients and you do not want to screw it up you learn real quick what you say can win the client or lose them. As someone told me not to long ago, think about your interview as a sales call and think of it as you have a resource you are selling to a client that has a need and you have the resolution to that need.

In Mark D's mantra response to himself, one thing I always think of is the little train that could. I think I can I think I can I think I can and eventually you'll say I know I can I know I can.

As in sales, I have made myself numerous study sheets for my product "ME". I have my elevator pitch that I study constantly so it does not come off as just something I memorized. I want it to be as natural as if I did it today, yesterday or tomorrow. I've reviewed my resume in and out and anything that sparks a potential tell me about a time... or tell me about.... I have a list of the words, I know what I did, but I also know the definition to those words so I know if I'm thrown a curve ball I am still able to reference my answers in my mind as to what is it they're really wanting to know. 2ndly, I also have a list of questions that I am familiar with that most of the time you are asked during an interview. I have studied these in and out with not just an answer but with live examples when things happen to me. I cannot tell you how many times I interviewed someone and when asking a question the response is, “um I can’t think of anything”. I have fallen short to that myself on occasions, which is why I came up with my own study guide. I carry it with me everywhere I go and when I have down time I study, study study.

Here are a couple of other things that might help someone. Others may say different or similar, but do you know a couple of things that will hamper an interview? The word "UM" or using the word "uh". Use it throughout your conversation as in every other word because yes they know you are nervous but it shows you are not sure of what you are saying. In addition, do you know why speakers will use the phrase "that's a very good question"? Typically because they don't have an answer to what is being asked so this gives the person just enough time so to speak for the mind to sort through all this information and come up with the answer to what is being asked.

Lastly, when your interviewer ask you tell me about yourself. In my experience and all the seminars and on behavioral interviewing I have always been taught do not tell them about your kids in little league, you wife how you love her apple pie, and how you just love sitting around watching football or NASCAR. This is not what they are asking. What they want to know is “tell me about you, professionally” not personally. These are tips I have learned over time that has worked for me. I am not a recruiter and play a terrible one online, but you would be surprised how simple little tips can make or break an interview. Although, I am clearly not a pro at this and I still stumble more so than most, I am still learning.

Bottom line is study, prepare, study, prepare.