Work search strategies

The art of self-promotion

As we've seen throughout this section on work search strategies, the goal of your work search is to sell yourself. Once you've taken the time to know yourself—your accomplishments, your skills, your talents—the task of "selling" yourself becomes easier. Remember that your success in your work search will depend largely on a realistic appraisal of yourself and what you have to offer—and you do have a lot to offer!

A positive self-image and assertive communication are the keys to your successful work search: they will enable you to make transitions and adapt to change and new environments. Being passive won't help you much—you need to learn assertive communication—communication that conveys your purpose and desired outcome(s) in a positive and confident way. Assertive does not means aggressive: assertive communication respects the needs, desires and purpose of everyone involved in the communication. Assertive communication creates mutually beneficial—win-win—situations.

You will need a pen and paper to complete the following exercises. Each is also available in a worksheet in PDF format. (You'll need Adobe® Reader® to download and print the PDF worksheet.)

To get you thinking assertively and positively, consider the following statements. On a sheet of paper, rewrite each statement in such a way as to transform it into an assertive statement.

1. At least listen to what I have to offer.
2. We don't really need to discuss that do we? I was simply going to show you my résumé.
3. I can blow the rest of your staff right out of the water. I'm more qualified than anyone you currently have on your team.
4. You probably see a lot of candidates/applicants who are far more skilled/qualified than I am, don't you?

Based on the lists of skills, characteristics and accomplishments you completed throughout this section, write 3 to 5 statements about yourself. Your affirmations should:

• Be positive
• Include a skill from your checklists (functional, transferable, personal)
• Be factual/honest

Finally, try to think of how you can promote yourself in 50 words or less. Imagine are writing a press release or a brief commercial to "sell" yourself. What would you say? In order to help you complete this exercise, remember the following:

• Your work target
• The skills, traits, and characteristics employers in your field are seeking
• Your strengths relative to the field in which you hope to work
• Past accomplishments and past experiences that clearly demonstrate skills relative
to the field in which you hope to work
• The significant contributions you can make to an organization

Now you're ready to focus on your self-promotion—your work search tools. These typically include your cover letter and résumé but can also include business cards, promo cards, brochures, a portfolio, or broadcast letters. These are discussed in more detail in the section on work search tools.