Job Interviews and The Secret of Selling Yourself

A very effective and persuasive tactic when selling something is to promote its benefits as well as its features.

Very simply, features are what something has; benefits are what those features do for you.

For example, if you're selling your used Oldsmobile, one of the features you might mention is its large trunk.

If you focus only on the feature, you'll say, "This car has a large trunk." (Yawn) But if you promote that feature with its benefit, you could say, "The trunk is huge. You can get three suitcases and your golf bag in there for a trip to Disneyland and still have plenty of room for all the souvenirs you'll want to bring home!" See how that makes a more powerful impression?

The potential buyer can visualize how this car with its large trunk can make packing for his next trip much easier. Use the same tactic for each feature of the car, and (Ka-ching!) you have a much quicker sale.

When you're preparing your resume or answering questions during an interview, you're selling yourself, so use that same tactic: sell your benefits along with your features! Here's how:

Consider these typical "features" a job applicant might mention during an interview:

? 10 Years of Experience

? Ability to Type 90 Words Per Minute

? Strong Organizational Skills

? Dedicated

? Excellent Communicator

? 2004 Administrator of the Year, Acme International Inc.

Those are pretty impressive. Now let's see how you can turn those "features" into "benefits:"

? Feature: 10 Years of Experience. Benefits: "I know what to expect in this type of position; I've handled this type of work before; I won't need much training or supervision; I'll hit the ground running and will start producing right away."

? Feature: Ability to Type 90 Words Per Minute. Benefits: "I can get your 10-page reports done in less than an hour; I will speed up your work flow."

? Feature: Strong Organizational Skills. Benefits: "I'll keep track of your schedule so you'll always be on time and have the materials you need; I will be able to quickly retrieve any document; I will prioritize my workload to ensure the most critical projects are don e first; I will save you time; I'll help you make your boss happy."

? Feature: Dedicated. Benefits: "I will support the company's overall mission and do whatever I can to help achieve it; I won't complain about hard work or long hours; I will faithfully do my job to the best of my ability."

? Feature: Excellent Communicator. Benefits: "I will easily be able to give you and your staff the information you and they need, whether in verbal or written form; I will be able to compose much of your correspondence, relieving you of that duty; I will save you time and effort."

? Feature: Administrator of the Year, 2003, Acme International Inc. Benefits: "I'm very good at what I do, and you don't have to take my word for it ? here's proof that others have recognized my skill, professionalism, and outstanding contributions."

Even more impressive! See how that works? A "feature" is nice. But even better is answering the hiring manager's unspoken question, "So why is that important?" You do that by selling your "benefits."

Make a list of your own features and their corresponding benefits. Learn to promote these benefits to your potential employer. Do this in your cover letter, your resume, and during your interview to make a powerful impression.

You will SELL yourself into a new job!

Bonnie Lowe is author of the popular Job Interview Success System and free information-packed ezine, "Career-Life Times." Find those and other powerful career-building resources and tips at her website: http://www.best-interview-strategies.com.

---

Career Search from Within

Seeking meaningful and fulfilling work can become a discouraging, confusing... Read More

Before You Begin, Know What To Expect - How You Can Make a Living Proof Reading From Home

Proof reading from home is an excellent way to make... Read More

10 Warning Signs That You?re Ready for a Career Transition

1. You dread getting out of bed and going to... Read More

What is Contract Programming? An Alternative to the Conformity of Everyday Employment

What is contract programming, you ask? Well, when companies need... Read More

How To Create A Winning Impression In Your New Job

Congratulations! You've just been appointed to your new job. Now... Read More

Settling Successfully Into Your New Job

The euphoria of getting a new job can sometimes be... Read More

Find Free Resumes Online

Have you been spending money on countless job boards, only... Read More

Ode to a Spoon

"Happiness is not having what you want, but wanting what... Read More

Career Transitions: Creating Complementary Careers in a Day

Down-sized? Outsourced? Burned-out? Wizened up? That's what I said. Wizened... Read More

Nonverbal Interview Behavior

Non-verbal interview behavior can drown out your verbal self-presentation.Practice interviewing... Read More

Learn How to Throw a Boomerang

Actually, "the boomerang effect" is a relatively new trend of... Read More

What You Need To Know Before Committing To Vocational Retraining

You've thought a lot about the kind of work you... Read More

Career Development - When Its Time for a Change

There's a certain courage required to hear your gut. To... Read More

Online Business: The Underground Railroad for Corporate Escapees

Millions of people everyday spend eight hours or more in... Read More

Those Little Things

Moving to another state meant finding a new dentist. I... Read More

How To Get Promoted - Take Control Of Your Destiny!

It Is Up To YouSo, you want to get promoted.... Read More

The Inevitable Job Interview Question: ?Why Did You Leave (Are Planning To Leave) Your Last Position

This is a question that you can almost count on... Read More

Are You Taking Your Inner Brat to Work?

Is your inner brat taking over your job? Everyone has... Read More

Writing Resumes That Attract Your Perfect Job

Let me introduce you to Ben. He made it happenBen... Read More

Top 10 Skills for New World of Work

There are many changes coming in the world of work,... Read More

Occupational Health and Safety - Stress and Workaholism at Work

There has been a lot of hullabaloo recently about the... Read More

What is Experience Anyway?

I learned in first grade that one plus... Read More

Death By Workers Compensation

Excerpt of Death By Workers' Compensation"The Bleeding Rose"In this Excerpt... Read More

Cracking the Connection Code: Networking for the Introverted

We've all heard it before: "Just get out there and... Read More

Job Search - 6 Tips to Boost Your Campaign

Does your job search feel like a big weight on... Read More

Reactions to Job Loss; Getting Past the Emotions

Without doubt, job loss through downsizing or redundancy, is a... Read More

Handing in Your Resignation and Serving Notice

Have you made the right choice? Before deciding to resign... Read More

Finding Employees For Insurance Industry Jobs

Finding the right employee for any job opening can be... Read More

Which Half Are You?

When more than half of Americans were identified as overweight,... Read More

Take Charge of Your Job Search: 12 Steps to Success

Despite what many people may say, a job search does... Read More

Ten Courses Of Study If You Want To Be Your Own Boss

For many Americans, an important component of the American Dream... Read More

Personal Grooming: 8 Top Reasons Why You Can?t Take It For Granted In Your Career

Most people when they landed "the dream job" after an... Read More

5 Things Every New Caterer Should Know

It has been over twenty five years since I started... Read More