Do You Know Your ‘Value Proposition?’

Since everything today is about what you can bring to an employer, or your value proposition, it is imperative that you actually know what this might be. As simplistic as it sounds, I find that the majority of job seekers don’t pay much attention to their value; they usually define themselves by a job title: “I’m an engineer” or “I’m a sales rep.” While this can tell who you are, it does not say what results occur from what you do.

Being very clear about what you accomplish as a result of your skills is when you add value: the number of sales calls you made and how they converted to paying clients; the project you headed up that was able to save the corporation money, or when you had a satisfied customer due to your persuasion and negotiation skills – these are your value propositions.

When you know – and own – them, then you will be able to translate them to your resume, your LinkedIn profile, and to those who ask “So, what do you do?” A value proposition should be a short phrase that will describe you and your skills in a succinct way that is compelling and memorable. Here are 3 tips to help you develop yours:

1. List all your job tasks or passions that you have, such as marketing, sales, coaching, teaching, training, etc. These are the skills and aptitudes you possess and are good at.
2. Write down the outcomes of situations or times when you used those skills – what was the benefit to the other person as a result of what you did. Look for key words that are compelling – are you the ‘go-to’ person for problem-solving, or are you the one with creative ideas when your team gets stuck, etc.
3. Now write out your value proposition that incorporates the skills and outcomes so that others feel compelled to say ‘tell me more.’ Be sure your key words relate to your target audience’s key words – if someone was searching for your offering, what words would they enter in the search engine (or ask someone for a referral).

Once you have your value proposition, try it on by putting it on your resume, your social media sites, and asking friends or family what they feel when they hear it. You can always change it if it doesn’t sound authentic to you or is not getting results. Play around with it until it feels easy and comfortable. Having the ability to convey your personal message and getting it out is what will make others think of you when a job opportunity arises and can get you noticed by an employer.