By Alder Koten
Can you
complete that sentence?
Most people
will tend to look back at their careers when they apply or interview for a job,
they analyze what they’ve done, why they feel they are qualified and they will
most always have a magic number in the back of their mind. A number that will
likely be based on a combination of what they’re currently making, what they
think they should be making, and what they hear or think people close to them
are making.
But now more
than ever, hiring is market driven. If you don’t chart a path with the market
(and your competition) in mind, you are navigating blind.
What most
people fail to do is ask that precious question: Why would a company hire me
over someone else? It’s not easy since you will seldom know who you are going
up against but there are easy ways to benchmark your resume (LinkedIn) and it’s
a question that can keep you on your feet. The question can also be looked at
from a different perspective: What do you have to offer? and What would make
your offer a better value proposition than somebody else’s?
Bear in mind
that the answer to those questions can’t be working hard, being committed, or
being a fast learner. Yes, those are important traits but they are expected of
any above average professional. You HAVE to be good. The question is what makes
you great and what can you offer that can can place you among the elite.
Now, don’t
forget that great and elite can only be defined in context. A fellow consultant
asked me a few weeks ago if I thought Peyton Manning was an elite athlete. I,
of course said yes. I’m not a big football fan but it is after all Peyton
Manning. I know who Peyton is. But then he asked me how elite Peyton would be
playing baseball and then reminded me of Michael Jordan’s time in professional
baseball. So, I corrected. Peyton is an elite football player. The next
question was how I thought Peyton would play defense, perhaps linebacker? I’m
sure you get the picture.
The answer to
the value of what you have to offer can’t be isolated from the context.
So, back to
the question: A company will hire you over someone else because… ?
If you are looking to increase your income, move up in your organization or land a position contact:
CB Bowman, MBA, CMC, MCEC at Executive Leadership, LLC 908.509.1744 cb@exec-leadershipllc.com; http://www.exec-leadershipllc.com.
