The importance and impact of selling your ability, skills, knowledge and work experience!
Written by Megan
When applying for a job, it is important to stand out from the crowd, especially when it comes to a popular company that everyone wants to work for. To do this, having a CV is a good place to start. However, having a CV alone, with no acknowledgement to any skills you may have acquired throughout your studies and work experience will not be enough to secure that job. Therefore, it is of upmost importance to make all your abilities, knowledge, skills, everything you have been working towards – stand out like a sore thumb. This is called selling yourself, and its quite possibly the most valuable skill you will ever learn to have when it comes to employability.
To do this, a strong skills section is needed. First list those skills you know that you have. Most people almost definitely have communication skills – we all know how to hold a conversation – and time management skills at the very least. Then it’s time to think outside the box. That time your football team won the league? Evidence of teamwork. When technology failed you right before a deadline, but you managed to pull it back and ace your assignment anyway? Evidence of problem solving. You will always have more skills than you expect yourself to have, you just need to look at your experiences from a different angle to see they exist. And why stop there? Evidence anything you may have learned so far in your degree – show the employers you have what they’re looking for and you’re exactly the person they want to employ. This can be done by listing relevant modules you may have undertaken that can be applied to a role being advertised.
So, you’ve now sent your CV off and been offered some interviews. Fantastic!! Now is the time to really lay it on thick. When at interview stage, this is your opportunity to show those employers what you are really made of, let them know that yes, you can meet their customer service standards, or yes, you can complete the administration tasks that will be set for you, and you can also do it in a quick and concise manner. Employers wish to know who you are, and what you are capable of, so don’t be shy in telling them. After all, selling yourself well can be the difference between landing the role you want, or letting it slip away to someone else.
However, all this is easier said than done. To help improve on this, think about people’s first impressions, constantly update your CV, LinkedIn and so on, to ensure that your skills and knowledge is always at its best. If you feel you don’t have enough skills to sell, undertake online learning on LinkedIn, and attempt to practice presentation skills away from people, then maybe in front of family or friends. There are also many videos available on how to sell yourself on Youtube which can be of great help.
There is no time like the present to understand the importance of selling yourself – there are blogs available across the Staffs Uni blog site that can help with developing skills, CV’s, etc., so take the initiative now.
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