Whenever a client or employer is thinking about engaging you they are placing a bet. You may have got your first job out of college purely on the basis of your hard-won degree and an ability to blag but thereafter you are a walking wager. Each of us carries a large invisible sign saying “Place your bets here – this guy has the potential to make or lose you a fortune!”.
So how do we make ourselves attractive in a competitive world? How do we tell everyone we’re the greatest thing since the SmartPhone but in a way that is subtle, understated and of course typically British (I wish I wasn’t!).
Well, we have two tasks. First we need to find a way to ‘radiate value’. We need to tastefully broadcast that we are a quality product, a fantastic bet and that any prospective client / employer would be negligent not to engage us. Some tips for how to ‘radiate value’:
- Good, relevant academic qualifications (collect them like stamps)
- Professional certifications (hoover them up)
- Have an ‘iconic’ company on your CV (if possible)
- Testimonials (use LinkedIn or similar)
- Be knowledgeable and generous with your expertise
- Be enthusiastic and creative (without being annoying)
- Come over as ‘professional’ (develop a good ‘bedside manner’)
- Engage in CPD (Continuous Professional Development)
- Above all else, be visible in your marketplace
Second we need to be able to actually deliver value. This is more challenging (look at any politician). Here are some tips:
- Understand value for your client / prospective employer
- Work out how to increase it
- Sell yourself as the best bet to deliver this value increase
- Give them a ‘free trial’ – show them what you can do
- Deliver results (and trumpet them tastefully)
If you can do both of these tasks successfully you will rarely be short of work.
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