You Have 30 Seconds to Sell Yourself. Go!

You Have 30 Seconds to Sell Yourself“Tell me about yourself” is often the first thing an interviewer will ask, and how you answer can set the tone for the rest of interview.  It’s important to take advantage of that next 30 seconds to sell yourself in a way that quickly conveys your strengths, gives the interviewer an insight to your professional history, and convinces them that you’re the best person for the job. In other words, they want your personal branding statement or elevator pitch.

5 Tips to Help You Develop a Memorable MessageThat Keeps Your Listener Interested

Define Your Attributes.
What are your greatest strengths?  What business attributes do people recognize you for?  Make a list of your strong points and then narrow it down to one or two attributes that you want to be known for.  Start off your personal brand statement by talking about these attributes that define who you are as a professional.  For example, “I am a confident, detail-oriented sales leader.” These are the attributes the interviewer is looking for, not a recap of your personal life.

Talk About Your Value.
Your personal branding statement should answer the questions “What should I care?” and “What’s in if for me?”  The person listening doesn’t care about a laundry list of your past job experience, they want to know what value you can offer them.  Be sure you focus your message on their needs.  For example, a good candidate might say, “I am an accounting professional with 12 years of experience managing budgets for various companies.”  However, a great answer would be, “I am an experienced accounting professional with a strong track record in managing and reconciling multiple budgets simultaneously, while helping clients make smarter financial decisions.”  Using benefit-focused language will help convince the interviewer that you are business savvy, experienced, and have the skills needed to do the job at their organization.  Figure out what about your work is most important to the interviewer, and talk about it.

Formulate Your Unique Selling Proposition.
The experience on your resume is more than likely very similar to the other candidates applying for the job.  Therefore, as part of your branding statement, you need to deliver your unique selling proposition that sets you apart from the other applicants.  Provide a brief story that shows how you’ve accomplished your goals.  Use visual language, be witty or just be different –stories are powerful and are often what people remember the most.  A pitch will only be memorable if you stand out and engage the listener.

Have a Call to Action.
Use a call to action to bluntly tell the interviewer why you want the job they’re offering and how it aligns with your career goals.  Ask if they think your personal brand matches what they’re looking for.  This will create an excellent opportunity for dialogue and a great segue into the rest of their interview questions.

Practice Makes Perfect.
Once you’ve put your personal branding statement together, you need to take time to practice it.  Say your speech in front of the mirror or record it on your computer and play it back to yourself. Practice it for a friend. It may sound awkward at first, but the more you practice, the more natural your delivery will be. Keep making small tweaks to your pitch until it doesn’t sound rehearsed.  Prepare a few variations that are easily targeted based on who you’re talking to.

When you answer the “tell me about you” question with an elevator pitch, you demonstrate your qualities, build interest in you as a person, and increase the chance of getting the job.

Are you ready to put your elevator pitch into action interviewing for an exciting new opportunity in the Greater Cleveland area? Let the experienced recruiters at Area Temps help find you the right job.  For over 25 years, Area Temps has been a leading human resource-staffing partner in Cleveland, Ohio. Contact our team of experienced recruiters today, and you’ll be on the job in no time.

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