Good morning!
Welcome to this week's edition of your Job Market Minute: it's designed to give you valuable career search advice that will take less than 60 seconds to read...
The key to introducing yourself is to position yourself in a way that will help you get the most out of a conversation. Whether this is in a networking conversation or in an interview, your introduction is your opportunity to be memorable.
When you are introducing yourself, you are only given one chance to respond to the request - "So tell me about yourself". Your response to this prompt is either going to position you as just another candidate or prove you're exactly what they're looking for.
But before we get into today's lesson, I'm so excited to tell you about some free video training I'm putting together. I've shot nearly 3 HOURS of video that I'll be sending you in digestible chunks starting the end of this week. This video series is currently in "post production" and the first one should be ready for you by Friday. So be on the lookout for this great training that I'll send you via email!
So... Here are 5 deadly introduction errors you want to avoid.
1. The Label- By labeling yourself, you're limiting yourself greatly right away. For example, if you introduce yourself as a VP of Sales, the person you're speaking with automatically focuses on VP of sales positions they might know of.
2. The Tap- This is when you answer a question with simply what you do for a living. People are going to want to know if they need to know you. This is your chance to convince them that they do.
3. TMI- This is when you provide too much information too soon. Remember that a self-introduction needs to be brief. It's not the time to go into the details of how you do your job or your biggest accomplishments. You want something brief and compelling to leave the other person interested in hearing more.
4. Zzzzzz- You certainly don't want to have a dull self- introduction. In order to not be boring, be aware of the jargon you're used to using. Will someone from another industry understand what you mean? Consider what you think someone would be interested in hearing about.
5. Being Generic- Don't say something that 15 other people in the room could also say (ie., I have 10 years' experience in sales or I'm looking for an Operations Manager position). The person you're speaking with can't help you if all they know about is something extremely generic and common.
Instead of doing any of these 5 errors, this is the time to prepare your ABC.
Audio Business Card
The key to your attention-grabbing introduction is through your audio business card (ABC). A good introduction is going to include 3 things:
1. Define who it is you want to work for. This is the size and industry of your perfect employer (ie., work with small-midsized businesses in the technology industry).
2. Identify a core problem that you're going to solve. What are you passionate about? For example: "I work with companies that are having trouble keeping their biggest accounts happy...".
3. Mention the specific benefits of hiring you. What do they gain when you join the team? Or, what is your expertise or specialty? For instance, "Well, that's where I come in - I can increase customer satisfaction and loyalty with the biggest customers, even winning back customers that have been lost."
Keep in mind that your ABC needs to be adjusted based on your audience. This is something you need to practice to gain confidence and lessen stress. How are they going to remember you?
For more information about advancing your executive job search, additional resources can be found on the Career Resume Consulting website. For questions or to set an appointment, contact me directly at (816) 600-2478 or email me atTammy@beyondjobsearching.com .
Warm Regards,
Tammy Kabell
Career Resume Consulting
(816)600-2478
