Blog
The great misunderstanding of “self-marketing”
By Scott Van Heurck - 18 Aug, 2017
I’ve been in Recruitment for a long time now, I have spoken to many job seekers, read through thousands of resumes and helped a lot of people get their dream jobs. Over the years, one observation I have made is that there is a high percentage of job seekers that misunderstand the most effective ways in which to “self-market”, or don’t feel comfortable with “self-marketing”.
Self-marketing is a term used in recruitment which refers to how well someone presents themselves in their resume, cover letter, LinkedIn and interviews. Below are two main points I would strongly recommend you consider when you are looking for the dream job.
The most effective ways in which to “Self-Market”
The most effect advice I have given to candidates and friends is; what you think about your own CV, social media, cover letter, is less important. Some people might find that frustrating or disagree but you must understand that what you think (in the long run) does not matter. More importantly, what matters is what the Manager/Recruiter/HR think of it.
You must feel comfortable that your “self-marketing” is an accurate self-portrayal, but the wording, layout, formatting and content must meet specific criteria and must be eye catching to the recipient – not to you.
Not feeling comforatble in “Self-Marketing”
A lot of candidates and friends I speak to feel uncomfortable about “selling themselves” in an interview or in their resume etc. Self-selling is not something that comes easily to some people and they feel it can be seen as arrogance or boasting. There are 4 key things to remember what self-marketing:
- Be Factual – Being factual and giving examples about a project, your personality or the work you have done is what the client is looking for. By saying, “I worked on this project, this is what I did, this is how I did it, this is why I did it that way, and what the outcome was” – is giving the interviewer the whole story, it makes you believable and it is exactly what they want to hear and are looking for.
- Be prepared! – Practice makes perfect! If you practise something 100 times to a mirror, with a friend, partner or family member, I guarantee you will get good at it. Athletes do not train for the fun of it.
- Confidence – Being factual and being prepared will lead to natural confidence. Interview questions are often predictable so knowing what you are going to be asked and feeling comfortable about what you are going to say will give you natural confidence.
- Be mindful – Listen to what the interviewer asks, think about who you are talking to, and then tailor your response. (That goes for your resume/cover letter and in an interview.)
Wood Recruitment offers “The Ultimate Guide to Securing Your Dream Job” – We understand the hows and whys to getting that job you want!
We not only give you the tools to effectively market yourself by helping recreate your Resume, Cover Letter, Seek and LinkedIn accounts, but we also can give you the knowledge and skills to nail the interview with coaching in person – to become the ultimate “self-marketer”.
Please let us know if you would like to learn more and we can put together a package to suit your needs and your budget.
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I had the opportunity to be interviewed by Lisa and I couldn't be more impressed with the experience. From the moment I walked in, the team was incredibly kind and approachable, making the whole process feel comfortable and straightforward. Lisa took the time to explain every step of the process in detail. The interview itself went smoothly, thanks to Lisa's professional yet friendly demeanour. I genuinely appreciate her efforts to make the experience as positive as possible.
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