How to Talk About Your Strengths to Employers

How to Talk About Your Strengths to EmployersHow to Talk About Your Strengths to Employers4The interview is for bragging, says Hallie Crawford, a certified career coach and founder of Hallie Crawford Career Coaching. The purpose is to tout your skills. So manage those voices in your head that say you shouldnt be bragging. This is the time to do it.As children we are (appropriately) taught not to brag, says Rick Gillis, an employment coach specializing in trends and technologies in the modern job search and author of Promote Its Who Knows What You Know That Makes a Career.However, Gillis believes that as we get older- high school, college, career search, and advancement- we need to un-learn and be un-taught that it is bad to promote ourselves.There is a way to professionally, appropriately, and consistently promote our ability and contribution to our employers, says Gillis. And its necessary for a successful career.Of course, theres a difference between bragging and using a certain to ne of voice or body language that makes you look or seem like you feel superior, versus confidently speaking about what you bring to the table in a matter of fact way. Keeping an even tone and smile on your face helps, says Crawford. Additionally, You have to be able to not just understand your strengths in order to sell yourself, you also need to be able to speak about them articulately by providing examples of how you produced results.To help guide you in that interview- and give confidence- bring along a guide book, says Crawford. It could be called a brag book- a bound, short document that includes your resume, list of references, testimonials, or recommendations from clients or colleagues lists of any awards or copies of anything that points out your successes or even emails recognizing you for the good work youve done on a project. Documents like these can make it easier to talk about your successes when that time comes.Looking for a flexible job? abflug searching for part-tim e, telecommuting, and flexible jobs in over 50 categories by clicking hereEmployers are looking for multiple things when they ask job seekers about their strengths, says Dana Manciagli, author of Cut the Crap Get a JobFirst, they want to observe how you articulate your best attributes.Then, they are listening for the relevancy of the strengths you are highlighting. Selecting the right strengths for each interview can be what sets you apart.Focus on attributes, skills, and accomplishments related to the specific job you are applying for.Focus on the hiring companys job description, says Manciagli. Read it carefully then select strengths that you feel would be most beneficial to them.In order to win the competitive job seeker game, you need to understand the rules, says Shirley Weis, president of Weis Associates, LLC and the former chief administrative officer of Mayo Clinic, where she provided strategic leadership of the $9 billion, 60,000 employee international healthcare system.Emp loyers want to know that you are aware of your strengths and weaknesses, says Weis, author of Playing to Win in Business.They are looking for confident, self-aware people who know themselves and are realistic about what skills and abilities they can bring to a job, says Weis, who provides the below tips on how to feel more comfortable sharing your strengths.How to Talk About Your Strengths ComfortablyReview the position description to determine what skills are needed in the role. Then, dispassionately assess your skills, abilities, strengths, and weaknesses in the main job areas.If you believe there is a good match of your strengths and the needs of the employer, develop a list of examples where you have demonstrated the skills being sought.During the interview, use your examples to talk about the positive results you have delivered to other organizations, colleagues, and customers. By sharing examples, you will not seem to be bragging or boastful.Do a mock interview with a friend o r family member so you can practice talking openly and comfortably about your strengths and skills.Remember that if you have been successfully performing a skill or task for more than 10,000 hours (about five years), you are an expert and can feel confident that you own these abilities. It is not bragging if you can deliver the results.Finally, focus on how you can help the employer meet the needs of their organization by utilizing the skills you have mastered. You want to put your strengths to work for THEM.Exercise Three Steps to Create an Ongoing Written Accomplishment StatementGillis provided this exercise on how to develop, create, and execute a formal written statement of your personal best accomplishments. By completing this exercise- and continuing it throughout your career- your confidence and poise will increase and it will shine through as you discuss your strengths to employers, networking contacts, and other professionals in your industry.1. Start by creating a list of 10 to 12 personal best achievements.Then ask (via phone, which is preferred over email says Gillis) family, friends, coworkers, former and current supervisors (if appropriate), vendors, customers, professors, clergy, and charity organizations this questionWhen we worked together, what difference did I make what impact did I have on the business?2. Write the back story to each event- in detail.Be able to describe the how, what, where, when, why, and who of the event. Be certain to begin with the problem.Employers are only ever seeking problem solvers, says Gillis.Be able to state the accomplishment (on paper and in person) in this formatI was responsible for ______________(WHAT you did) that resulted in __________________. (A net result.)For example I was responsible for 49 percent of all sales one fiscal quarter that resulted in $3,200,000 net revenue to the company.3. Make the employer ask this wonderful question How did you do that?Having taken the time to detail the background fo r each accomplishment, without batting an eyelash, you will now be able to begin describing your achievement in detail. Remember that when an employer asks, How did you do that? they are really asking, Can you do that for me?This exercise prepares you for resume creation, networking, job interviewing, salary negotiation, seeking aufsteigen and potentially, in defense of job termination, says Gillis. Additionally, this exercise produces personal motivation, confidence and poise.You can download a sample accomplishment statement at RickGillis.com.Readers, how do you talk about your strengths to employers? Share your strengths or pressure points with us below