Effectively marketing yourself requires an honest assessment of your professional abilities. In other words, do your current skill sets match the requirements for the types of positions you are looking to fill? This is a very important question because hiring managers are consistently inundated with large numbers of applications and resumes for unqualified candidates. Unfortunately, this negatively affects both the employer who has to invest critical time filtering through applications of candidates who don’t meet basic requirements and professionals who consequently spend more time in the job market. It’s important to know where you currently stand in your career so that you can create a practical plan for finding a position.
A great way to ensure that you are giving yourself the best opportunity to become a stand out candidate is to research vacancies in your respective field and create a list of requirements based on the job descriptions. Cross reference the requirements for the position with your current skills and evaluate what you know versus what you need to know in order to qualify. For example, if you seek a position as an office assistant which requires you to type at a minimum speed of 65 wpm and you don’t meet that minimum requirement, devote some time to learning how to improve your typing skills. Find free resources online and use typing tools to increase your speed, so that when you apply for positions you will be able to market yourself as someone that meets the basic requirements. You can also add to your resume by seeking training via volunteer services. Many businesses are understaffed due to layoffs and other economic factors that require them to do the same amount of work with fewer resources. This can be a great opportunity to gain skills that can increase your marketability and potentially get your foot in the door with a prospective employer.
Be creative in your approach to finding a job and don’t be afraid to take unconventional steps to setting yourself apart. Knowing your resume and where you stand professionally can help to propel you in the right direction and can potentially cut down on the amount of time you spend in the job market. A targeted job search, coupled with a solid resume, and great self-marketing skills are ingredients for success.
