How to Position Yourself in the Job Market

Marketing yourself means identifying how employers see you as a potential employee. This is called 'Positioning'.It's a word marketers know well. For job seekers, it can make or break your job hunt.

The key questions to ask yourself are:

• What makes me different from the other job seekers?
• How will I improve the company?
• How will I increase its profits?

If you do not come up with your own answers to these questions, then the employer has no idea how hiring you will benefit them. This is perhaps the number one mistake I see in job seekers today. They have no idea how to position themselves in the marketplace. Their résumés are merely a listing of jobs rather than a list of accomplishments. In interviews, their responses are dull and convey no relationship to the job in question.

Here's a simple excercise to do.

Answer these questions. How will you differ? What value will you bring to the company?

Use your answers to create a two to three sentence positioning statement. This will help the recruiter to quickly understand how you can fill the company's needs. Your positioning statement will be needed later as you prepare the Summary section of your résumé.

Example Positioning Statement for a Technical Support Specialist
"My value to [ insert company name] is my five years of information technology experience. I am adept at technical support and troubleshooting computer problems. My technical knowledge will help reduce call waiting times and improve the image of your technical support center."

Example Positioning Statement for a Sales Manager
"I will increase your revenues by mentoring your sales staff in effective selling techniques and by forging relationships with key decision makers in your target market."