How to Sell Skills in Job Search

The art of successful job search is predicated on your salesmanship capability. In order to sell yourself, you need to highlight the skill sets you possess that will meet the needs of your “buyer”, or your prospective employer. Here are some points to help you define and refine your skills.

Things You'll Need

• Computer
• Paper and pen
• Resume
• Cover letters

Instructions

1. Computer skills are essential to the job market, whether you go to work for a technically advanced or a behemoth that is stuck in the stone age of computerization and everything in between that spectrum. Remember that it’s one thing to know how to search the internet and entirely another to develop new software programs. Spell out where you are in terms of your skills and which programs you know in reasonable good detail.

2. Communication skills, including the ability to give presentations to large groups of people are valued by many employers. If you are very proficient in this area and know all the bells and whistles of Powerpoint may score you some points with the buyer-to-be.

3. Language abilities and bilingual capability are very sought after commodities in the employment arena. Be sure that you mention this in your resume and any cover letters even if not specifically requested for the job. If you are rusty, you can indicated that you have an educational background in the language, but the ability to speak and translate as needed.

4. Technical skills and specific educational attainments should be pointed to in your cover letter if you possess these skills and the employer is looking for someone with this background. If you are in the process of finishing a degree program, indicate an estimated graduation date on your resume.

5. Past academic success in an excellent indicator of high achievement in the future. Be sure to spell out your honors and distinctions (cum laude, phi beta kappa) in detail. Even if these were earned in another field, the employer will deduce that you are highly intelligent.

6. 

   Experience with specific equipment (cad, machines, SPC software) should be indicated on the cover letter and resume if they are looking for these skills. Try to take anything they are looking for and applying it to yourself through the application and interview processes. Your job is to get the best possible most lucrative job offer you can get. If you later decide to decline, that is fine. Just get them to offer you the job by displaying your skills succinctly for their perusal.

Tips & Warnings

• Never misrepresent your background or skills to get an offer. It will backfire someday.