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.

Knowing what triggers a company’s interest and quickly motivates them to sit up and take notice of you is powerful knowledge that you can use over and over again.

Of course, each situation is different but the running themes that connect them are the same. Here are several motivators you can begin using to increase a companies interest in you:

Motivator #1 You can solve a problem they have

Perhaps you read about it in a job ad or in a news article. No matter where, a company that has a challenge will appreciate your attention to it and willingness to be either a part of the solution or THE solution!

Motivator #2  You have little, if any competition

Don’t wait for a job ad to post on a major job board before you connect with you companies of choice!

Connect with a decision maker (not human resources) and express your interest and qualifications. Companies ALWAYS have a need for talented people across all departments – so why wait when responding to a job board ad means competing with hundreds of other resumes? Compounded by the fact that over 80% of jobs aren’t even advertised!

Motivator #3 You have a REALLY impressive resume

This is where hiring a resume writer really pays off. One of my clients told me he landed a great interview in a new industry he was targeting. When he got there, the first thing the interviewer told him was “I just had to meet the man behind this resume!” Needless to say, the interview went very well and he got the job!

A compelling resume is just one component of a successful job search, but it is a powerful help to have your interviewer “primed up” by impressing them with a resume that builds the excitement of meeting you!

Motivator #4  You are enthusiastic

You will score BIG BIG POINTS if during your interview you find an opportune time to say “I am really impressed with your company and I can definitely see myself working here” or “I am really excited about this position” or even “I want this job!” Just think about it, would you want to hire someone who didn’t want to work with you? Of course not!

Motivator #5  You are positive

There is no deal breaker like a string of negative questions and answers. People that are critical thinkers have to be especially careful about coming off too quiet or too questioning in interviews (my engineering, technology and finance friends you know who you are J).

You don’t have to be something that you are not – but take a little time to prepare for your interviews putting a special focus on the positive responses you can give, PLUS (and this is a big plus) stories about your accomplishments! Critical thinkers and introverts can display their brilliance and their aptitudes just as easy as outgoing people as long as they take time to prepare for their interviews.  

These are simple but tried and true techniques that are easy to overlook but pay off in more generous offers if you take the time to incorporate them into your job search strategy!