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Spin
Yourself
by
ResumeEdge.com
- The Net's Premier Resume Writing and Editing Service
We
spin ourselves all the time-to find a date or a mate, to make a good impression
on our elders, to join a club or society. Spinning merely involves presenting
those aspects of ourselves that are likely to be appealing to others. It
is not enough to come off this way or that way. You take control of the
message you convey to the interviewer. The clearer the spin, the sharper
is the appeal.
All
you must do, then, is figure out how to use your self-knowledge and company
knowledge to market yourself. Skip the tag line, but do formulate a coherent
message about yourself. This is the message that you want to reemphasize
throughout the interview as you answer a variety of questions. Using the
information that you gathered from the exercises in Know Yourself, make
a list of your transferable skills, your inherent qualities, and your personality
traits that would be relevant to this job.
Brainstorm
what you offer the position. Suzanne's list follows.
| Experience-based Skills |
Transferable Skills |
Personal Qualities |
| HTML Coding |
Project Management |
Dependable |
| Vendor Relations |
Clear Communication |
Accessible |
| Client Relations |
Writing |
Focused |
| Product Development |
Organization |
Flexible |
| Quality Assurance Practices |
Team Leadership |
Initiative |
| Web Writing |
Negotiation |
Creative |
| |
Problem-solving |
Fast Learner |
Take
a careful look at your list to determine which of the skills and qualities
seem most relevant to the position you are seeking. For the consultant
position that Suzanne is seeking, client relations and quality assurance
practices seem most relevant from the experience-based skills category.
Each of the skill from the transferable skills category is relevant, so
she chooses to emphasize negotiation, problem-solving, project management,
and writing. She anticipates that the personal qualities required for this
position include creativity, dependability, initiative, and flexibility.
Generate
concise anecdotes. Once you have created a short-list of skills and
qualities that you offer the company, compile a set of stories and facts
that illustrate your unique abilities. When doing so, remember a few guidelines:
Your
goal is to convince the interviewer that you are right for the job.
Be
specific.
Highlight
information readily understood as transferable.
Accentuate
accomplishments.
Connect
your past experience to the position you seek.
Reveal
your values.
Remember
your audience and their values.
Keep
your presentation under two minutes.
Identify
your basic message. With her skill profile, knowledge of the employer
and job, and these guidelines in mind, Suzanne might develop an overall
interview message like the following.
"I
will bring to this consultancy position a combination of skills and qualities
that I am confident would make me a valuable contributor to the company.
In my previous position as a Project Manager, I spearheaded the development
of multi-media projects that exceeded the expectations of our clients.
I could not succeed without my teams. Although my teams and I faced multiple
obstacles, I used my problem-solving skills and judgment to overcome barriers
in a way that satisfied the interests of our clients, my company, and my
teams. I was able to gain the trust and confidence of the team members.
My communication and negotiation skills enabled me to lead frazzled and
sometimes antagonistic teams of people to work together in a focused and
productive way. Since this pressure-cooker experience, I have gained licensure
as a court mediator, and I have a master's degree in conflict resolution.
"In
addition to my ability to mobilize teams by overcoming conflict and confusion,
my company made use of my organizational skills and my self-initiative.
I was able to work with a minimum of supervision, but consulted the company
directors when I needed their input, guidance, or support. Since I was
responsible for creating the concepts and content of the projects that
I managed, my self-direction enabled me to balance multiple responsibilities
while still carving out time to generate winning ideas and write content."
Identify
the bottom line.
Knowing that she wants to communicate her basic message throughout the
interview, Suzanne then clarifies the core of what she has to offer:
"I
offer your company and this position effective negotiation and communication
abilities, creative problem solving and project management skills, inner
drive and initiative, and strong writing skills. My colleagues here would
find me dependable and flexible."
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