Market Yourself
It is very important that you can show that you are a good fit for a job. The person who gets a job may not be the most skilled, but they may have been good at promoting themselves. Here are some tips to help you market yourself.
Create your "one minute me speech."
Having a “One Minute Me” (also known as the elevator speech) prepared takes advantage of the unique opportunity that you have when meeting someone for the first time because;
- You have their full attention
- They are interested in finding out more about you
- They could help you find your next job or point you in the right direction.
The goal of this technique is to share about yourself and include:
- Your name –always say “I’m” as opposed to “my name is”
- Your “compelling statement” – what are you best at/known for/passionate about
- Your enthusiasm – shown through personal traits and delivery.
- Your background/experience/industry
- If time – add a big project you were involved in or led
- Close with energy and excitement and skills you bring to a job
Prepare your own One Minute Me Speech (pdf).
Examples of elevator speeches:
- I am John Doe, a very dependable, hands-on Management Professional with more than 15 years of broad-based experience in overseeing facilities and equipment maintenance, staff supervision and training, and construction contracting. I really enjoy handling multiple projects and motivating others to work effectively and am known for my commitment to quality and customer satisfaction. Often, I have been looked to for my strong troubleshooting and follow through skills both in the field and with a computer. I’m really excited about the contributions I will be able to make at a future company and am targeting construction or manufacturing environments.
- "I am John Doe and I'd love to be your caterer for your next event. I have worked as a chef for six years and starting my own catering company. I can make good food for memorable events."
