Going up?

In my last post “If you are in business, you are in sales” (https://www.dhirubhai.net/pulse/you-business-sales-will-mcphee?lipi=urn%3Ali%3Apage%3Ad_flagship3_profile_view_base_post_details%3BFLkqJzlcS5Ow4SsV8AU%2BgA%3D%3D) I touched on the fact that in business, even if you aren’t in a sales-driven department, you’re still selling yourself.

I promised at the end of that piece I would share a few tips on how to do just that, and to help you become aware of your own Unique Selling Points (or USPs).

In recruitment, I often see people squirm when asked questions like, “What can you bring to the position”, “Why are you a good fit for this position”, or even, “What are you looking for in your next position”. But to nail the interview, you need to be confident that you offer a range of USPs, and perhaps more importantly, you need to be able to convince me (and any potential future employer) that you can bring greatness to the role.

The best way to do this is what is called an Elevator pitch: a short, sharp, persuasive pitch that is informative, factual, and to the point.

The idea is to imagine that you’ve stepped into an elevator with someone of importance. Before the end of the elevator ride, you are going to let that person know what it is you do and convince them to continue the conversation outside the elevator.

To do this, I like to follow a simple 3 step process:

1)     Explain who you are

2)     Explain the problem you solve

3)     Explain how and why you do it

So to give an example:

1)     I’m Will, an experienced recruitment consultant of 5 years specialising in Sales, Service, and Support.

2)     I help small to medium-sized businesses find the best talent in the market to help them grow and the scale their businesses.

3)     I do this by using a range of different digital platforms and networks that allow me to put both parties in touch with each other quickly. I have always loved what I do as it allows me to meet and work with a variety of different people and businesses to generate win-win outcomes.

Once you’ve finished the pitch, you’re able to open up the conversation and move it towards some of the other things you do in your position. Now is the time to talk about the systems you use, the industries you support, and to reflect on some of your past results and achievements. 

The most important thing is to make sure you know how to explain yourself. No one knows you like you know yourself. Spend some time pitching yourself, and next time you are at a party or your partner’s work function and someone asks the age old question, “So what do you do?”, you can be confident that you’ll answer like a pro and perhaps create windows of opportunity that otherwise might not have been open to you.