Prove Your Why
Why do you deserve the job?
By Soozy G. Miller, CPRW, CDCC, CDP
I once helped a client to go from barely thinking of management to applying for executive positions.
How did this happen?
She finally recognized, acknowledged, and was able to speak to her impact and contributions to companies and her field. She proved why she deserved the next level up.
The truth is that’s not very difficult.
And yet hundreds of boring resumes come across my desk that are full of responsibilities and tasks, with no impact.
Regardless of your rank – college graduate to CEO – if you are looking for your next opportunity, and you put only daily tasks—what you did on the job every day to earn your paycheck—then your resume will go straight to the hiring team’s “maybe” pile of candidates. Because all of your competition—other people who do what you do around the world—are doing pretty much the same daily tasks as you.
What makes you stand out from your competition is showing the hiring company how your special leadership skills and your technical and hard skills improved the company. None of your colleagues are doing this. I know, I’ve seen their resumes.
I’m currently talking to a Vice President of Technology whose resume—every line—is a daily task, and all of his actions are based on his technical expertise. Now, don’t get me wrong, daily technical tasks are important—you have to show details of your expertise in your field if you’re going to lead a company. I’m not shunning that. But this Vice President doesn’t realize how important it is, and how much he would benefit from, also demonstrating his leadership impact and value-add. He has decades of experience. He has led divisions. I know that he has improved processes and he has moved mountains for these companies. And yet, there is nothing on his resume that indicates anything special that he brings to the next company.
If he wants that next awesome opportunity, and he wants to get paid what he’s worth—or more—then he has to show why he deserves the job, as opposed to someone else who has the same skill set.
How do I get the information to help people?
Well, it will depend on the soft skills (DISC) leadership profile, but I at least start with:
How did you increase revenue?
How did you improve a process?
How did you influence a decision?
How did you solve a big problem?
How did you influence someone on a decision?
How did you improve policy?
In fact, job seekers at all levels are so lost about how to differentiate themselves, and I am so confident in my questions (and coaching) that I offer a guarantee in my most expensive package: unlimited coaching for 90 days.
Stop being like everyone else. You do you and get paid more for it.
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Better job. More pay. More control.
For a free resume review, please contact us at Control Your Career!