How to Market Your Talents Effectively to Land the Right Job

To get that job, you need to market your talents by showing employers the necessary skills. Assess your skills and experience. Prepare your resume that shows your work experience and background. A resume is the document to present to the employer to provide information for the interview. Your work experience can be a homemaker, a student, a volunteer, a hobby, or any other personal activity. These activities require skills and abilities such as interacting with others, ability to manage budgets, manage multiple tasks, human development, teaching, training, physical endurance, working quickly and skillfully with your hands, ability to work outside for a long period of time. Review your education, list degrees, certificates, awards, honors, completed self-study courses. Set your professional goals.

Think about where you want to be in 5 or 10 years and the type of job that could help you reach those goals. Match backgrounds and experience work that can use your talents and skills. Don’t limit yourself. There may be some jobs where the skills and abilities can lead you to an occupation that you have never considered. Job hunting is a full-time job. Set your daily responsibilities. Start looking for work daily, 40 hours a week. You can supplement someone to be your boss and help you fulfill job search responsibilities. Prepare a to-do list of daily job search activities. Start applying for jobs early so you have time to complete applications and interviews and take tests. Call the companies to find out when is the best time to apply. Keep a record of the employers you have contacted, the date and person contacted, and the outcome. To facilitate the search, visit companies in the same area. Be prepared for work by bringing tools for your job search, such as black/blue ink pens, maps, and documents that authorize you to work. Immediate follow-up of leads.

Consider your local employment development office. There are agencies and organizations that can give you advice and help you match your experience and background to jobs. Look in the Occupational Guide for a resource book on education information and licensing requirements for some occupations. Use the Internet to search for occupational exploration that will provide you with the jobs for which you are best suited. The library is a good source for free Internet access, job postings, and occupation books. Use the phone book to find career centers in your local area. Community colleges and trade schools offer valuable information to their students. If you need to continue your education, look for reliable schools. Stay in touch with your network of friends and family for job openings. When it’s time to fill out job applications, remember that first impressions are important.

Always be polite and courteous. Use your employment tools, answer truthfully. Follow instructions, be careful with spelling, leave blanks if not applicable, write not applicable, complete work history and explain gaps in work history, watch for deadlines, sign the application. Watch out for troublesome words like resignation and termination. Don’t abandon cover letters. Cover letters tell employers how talents and skills will benefit the company and show why the employer should read your resume or application form. Convey personal warmth and enthusiasm. Include an email address. Address the cover letter to the specific person you want to talk to and who would actually supervise you. Indicate the position you are seeking and the source of the vacancy and highlight your job qualifications. Choose the correct format for your resume based on your professional level. Reverse chronological resumes list the jobs you’ve held and clearly define the career ladder for job advancement. This resume lists recent work first and has dates of employment and job duties. The other type of resume is the functional resume that emphasizes your job skills and accomplishments rather than your job duties. For the reverse chronological resume, emphasize the duties that are important to the job you are applying for in simple, short, active sentences that show increased responsibility.

For functional resumes, you should focus on strengths, such as talents and accomplishments, to demonstrate your ability to perform job skills. Most hiring decisions are made at the first interview. Before the interview, research the company’s salary and benefits, learn as much as you can about the job and how your experience and training qualify you for the job. Be sure to bring work authorization documentation as well as a complete summary of your resume. Dress for the interview as you would for work. Go alone to the interview and leave time to relax. Find common ground in the employer’s office by looking at photographs, books, plants to make you feel comfortable. Express your interest. Let the interviewer lead the conversation, but don’t be afraid to ask questions about things he really needs to know. Answer questions clearly and positively to educate employers and co-workers no matter why you left. Be flexible when discussing salary. Trade, however, don’t sell yourself short. Close the interview by thanking the employer for the interview and reaffirming your interest and qualifications for the job. Ask when to call to find out about the decision. If you have to come back for a second interview, write down the time, date and place.

There are some jobs that require testing. The aptitude test predicts your ability to learn and perform job tasks. Job knowledge and competency tests measure knowledge and competency. The literacy test measures reading and numeracy levels. Personality tests help identify your personal style when dealing with tasks and other people. Honesty and integrity tests assess the likelihood of theft and the trustworthiness of applicants. Physical ability tests measure strength, flexibility, endurance, and speed for jobs that require physical performance. Medical examinations and tests determine physical ability to perform a job. Drug tests show the presence of illegal drugs that could impair job performance and threaten the safety of others. Take practice tests in magazines, online, in school books to feel more comfortable when you are tested. Improve your job skills. After the interview, send a thank you note expressing appreciation for the interviewer’s time, show enthusiasm for the job and the company, and re-emphasize that you want and can do the job. Include contact information and a full signature.

Administrative, technical, managerial, creative, helping, financial, research, and communication skills all need action verbs to give power and direction to your resume. Understand job duties and employer expectations and accept the job.