As a reader of my blog and/or ezine, I know you have tremendous skills and abilities in the ways you can help companies grow or operate more smoothly or achieve their goals in some way. Spending some quality time looking inward and just identifying what you love to do and what happens when you do it is an important part of your job search success.

But what if you are one of those people that cringe when it comes time to communicate those strengths and “sell” yourself in a job interview?

I would like to offer you another perspective or belief system about what selling is – different from the one you might have now. It’s so important you know how to sell yourself because when you are able to communicate your strengths in a way that compels others, you are doing yourself and them a great favor. After all, you can’t help a company that doesn’t hire you.

To boost your know-like-and-trust factor in your job interviews, it’s vital you know how to encourage potential employers to hire you in a way that’s full of integrity and authentically you.

What this means for you is that you will attract the interest of more employers, receive bigger and better job offers, and feel confident in the way you’re communicating to the ways that you can help potential employers get the results they want…and that only you can deliver.

So, here are three tips to help get you started:

Tip #1: Steer the interview by frequently mentioning your value

So, if you’re offering turnaround expertise, you will frequently refer to your turnaround projects.

If you are a marketing expert, you will frequently share the results of your marketing efforts throughout the interview.

By focusing on the results you get, you will quickly and easily build the value of who you can be to your potential employers.

Tip #2: Create before and after stories
Everybody loves to hear before and after stories, even in an interview setting. And the best ones clearly paint a before and after picture

Think of all the problems, challenges and dire situations with your past company (or companies) and how great things are now that you have helped them.

Tip #3: Make THEM an offer they can’t resist

The point is to create an “offer” that’s so irresistible, your interviewers think, “We have to hire this person!”

To do this, you need to offer something they believe they can’t get anywhere else. Be creative!

Here are a couple examples:

One of my clients quickly received a robust offer because HE offered to produce at least two potential solutions to a challenge the company was facing and he said he would do it in 60 days.

Another client of mine set up as part of her interview process a 1/2 day on-site observation of the potential employer’s media company. She then presented an outline of 10 ideas to improve their work environment and boost their ratings. They offered her a whopping 100k over what she had been making previously. All this even after she was let go from that previous position. I love it.

When you learn how to communicate to your interviewers that you are willing to invest getting the right information into their hands that is going to help them, you are removing all the obstacles (including money, time and your competition) that might otherwise stand between you and the job offer(s) you want.

This is a very common question I receive from new clients. There is no one right answer, but there are some quick and easy steps you can take to make sure you are assessing your situation correctly.

Usually when a professional isn’t getting responses or quality interviews from their resume, the reason falls within one of these categories:

• The resume is poorly written

• The resume hasn’t been distributed widely enough to generate interest

• The methods with which the resume is being distributed are generally poor methods

Let’s take a look at each category:

The resume is poorly written
The problems I see with resumes are too extensive to go into too much depth here, however basic reoccurring problems include resumes that are too wordy, resumes that are not laser focused on the preferred industry and resumes that aren’t loaded with quantifiable achievements.

Unfortunately it’s not uncommon for me to see resumes that were “written professionally” by a resume writer or outplacement agency that just don’t cut it.

In short, if you can’t afford a resume writer, look for up-to-date resume samples via print or online media and do your best to use them as a template. Read several how-to articles on resume writing basics so you know what to emphasize.

Finally, if you hire someone to write your resume for you, make certain they are certified through a reputable association (CMI or CDI for example) and that they have ample experience. Prices can range from as little as $300 to $3,000. Hire the best you can afford. You are worth it.

The resume hasn’t been distributed widely enough to generate interest
It’s a common error to feel that a submission of 10 to 20 resumes via a job board is a good call to action. Unfortunately most people will find that this produces little, if any results. Yielding slight higher results (optimistically 5 %+) include niche job boards, paid job boards, association job boards and direct-to-company websites.

The methods with which the resume is being distributed are generally poor methods
Do you want to see better than a 5% response rate? Then you are going to want to learn basic techniques to tap into the unadvertised job market.

Many people mistakenly believe this means “networking”. It does not, though learning basic networking techniques (that don’t involve calling everyone you know to ask them if they know who is hiring) will both boost your confidence, lower any contact-anxiety you may have and increase your overall results.

A final word about professional help
A certified resume writer and/or job search coach isn’t just for the 6-or-7 figure professional with money to burn.

In fact, a good resume writer and job search coach can save you a substantial amount of money, and that’s not hype. A few of the results a professional can help you achieve include:

• More interviews
• Bigger offers
• Shorter job search

If you are in between jobs, then the sooner you land your next position, the sooner you can regain your monthly income. Just saving one month of wasted effort in a job search can easily translate to savings of thousands of dollars.

A good job search coach knows how to help you identify and reach your goals. They have a goody bag of resources you probably would be hard pressed to find on your own and don’t forget that this help is often tax deductible (check with your CPA for details).

You can take what you learn and apply to your long term career strategy and future career transitions. Bottom line, an effective and meaningful investment in yourself and your career.

Before you decide what your next best step is in your career search, take a few minutes to apply the points in this article to your current situation. This will help you determine the solutions right for you so you can move forward with confidence.