It’s important to remember that selling yourself is not just about bragging about your accomplishments; it’s also about demonstrating how you can solve problems and work effectively in a team environment.
A job interview is an ideal opportunity to sell yourself to a prospective employer.
You can get your foot in the door with a great resume and cover letter, but at some point, you’ll have to actually convince the interviewer that you’re the right person for the job and that means selling yourself. You’ll want to make sure that you’re presenting yourself in the best possible light: showing off your skillset, experience, and personality.
Here’s something we were never taught in school: Success comes from knowing how to sell yourself.
Yes, skills matter. But arguably, what matters more — especially when we’re talking about making money — is the ability to sell ourselves.
In our life we need to:
- Dominate job interviews
- Wow potential clients
- Negotiate a higher salary
I’m going to show you the exact technique thousands of my students have used to sell themselves and collectively earn millions of dollars in salary and freelance negotiations.
Here’s how it works:
As a business owner, when I’m considering hiring someone, I’ll talk to them about the business, hear their thoughts and generally get a feel for their skills and their personality. If I think there’s a possible fit, I’ll ask them about pricing or salary expectations.
Most candidates will tell me about their previous accomplishments and background to convince me of the value they bring to the table.
But a select few do something different. They pull out a document with things they’ve found in my business that they can improve…and details on exactly how to do it.
As a business owner or hiring manager, this document is the most compelling menu I’ll ever receive. It’s a list of problems I already know about, that they’ve identified from the outside, and a list of potential solutions.
Do this and you’ve suddenly separated yourself from 99% of other applicants.
This strategy works for landing new clients, and applying for jobs — even for crushing performance reviews.
It’s easy to tell your boss you’ve done great work and that you plan on asking for more responsibilities and pay in your next review. But when you actually prove it — and explain how your work has and will continue to translate into more profit or savings for the company — you’ll instantly grab your boss’s attention.
The secret to selling yourself is SHOW, DON’T TELL.
This is called the Briefcase Technique. Here’s how you can use it to increase your salary right away.
…but you don’t have to take the same path as everyone else. How would it look if you designed a Rich Life on your own terms? Take our quiz and find out:
Here are the 2 steps to prepare your briefcase.
Step 1: Gather the evidence you are worth more
NOTE: This is if you’re already working at the company or with a client. Skip this step if it’s an interview or a first meeting.
You’ll want to take an inventory of all you’ve done for your company.
Get detailed here and list all the ways you’ve become more valuable to the company since you started your job.
Some sample questions to get you started:
- Have you delivered specific results? Which ones? Estimate how much they were worth.
- Has your communication improved? How so?
- Are you more efficient than before? How do you know?
- Do you know the business better? How does this translate to the company’s bottom line?
- Have you developed new skills? What kind?
Keep digging until you’ve listed everything out.
Step 2: Look to the future
Brainstorm ways you could add value above and beyond what you’ve already done.
Some sample ideas:
- Maybe there’s a project you could lead?
- Maybe you’ve got an idea for a system that could streamline communication?
- Maybe you’re willing to get additional training and certifications to take on more responsibilities?
- Create a specific plan for how you can solve problems in their company
- Or any other ideas you have that could help your employer or client out
These are the things you’ll SHOW — not tell — your boss or client so they KNOW you are someone who delivers real results.
FAQs About how to sell yourself
What is the importance of selling yourself?
Selling yourself is a skill that can help you in any situation. Whether you are trying to land a new job, get a raise at work, or even make new friends, knowing how to sell yourself will give you an advantage over everyone else who does not.
When we talk about selling ourselves, we are not just talking about communicating our value – it’s also about communicating what makes us unique as individuals. This is why it is important for people to know how to sell themselves: because it helps them stand out from the crowd.
The truth is it doesn’t matter how skilled or talented someone maybe if they don’t know how to communicate their skills and talents effectively with others; there will always be a disconnect between what they think they can do versus what other people think they can do based on their presentation alone (or lack thereof). When this happens, trust cannot be created between the parties involved which means no real connection has been made!
Why you should not sell yourself short?
When you sell yourself short, you’re actually hurting your chances at success.
Studies have shown that people who self-handicap are seen as less competent than those who don’t. When you sell yourself short, you’re basically telling others that they can expect the worst from you—and they will usually deliver it.
By being overly modest, you’re also missing out on opportunities to grow and learn new things. You may think that by saying “That’s not important” or “I’m not good at that,” you’re protecting yourself from failure and disappointment, but what happens when someone else sees value in your work? How will they know if you don’t show them?
If you want people to see your true potential, be confident in yourself! If a project doesn’t go well at first, don’t take it personally—you can always try again later or ask for pointers from a more experienced colleague
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