Ignored critical success factor - 'Your Personal Value Proposition'

Business organisations create value propositions for their products and services. It explains why the targeted consumer should buy the product. Have you ever consciously thought about why an employer should hire you; I mean going beyond an interview process you are so used to?

Personal value proposition

Your personal value proposition (PVP) is at the heart of your career strategy. It's the foundation for everything in a job search and the career progression - targeting potential employers, attracting help of others, and explaining why you're the one to be picked. It's the 'why' to hire you and not someone else.

It's important when developing your value proposition that it should be clear and concise. It's best to start by brainstorming and focusing on what needs your target demographic group have in common. This can be done by a simple survey or informally but it requires powerful observation.

Once you've found the common denominating need, you can determine what it is that the employers are in search of and develop your value proposition around that need. Why is the development of your value proposition important?

The answer to that question is easy. Your value proposition can create a strong differentiation between you and your competitors.

Sri Lankan's are not too familiar with this concept. Hence, the question is this: How do you develop a powerful PVP?

It's hard to know what you're really good at. You need more than the ordinary, clear value creating skills and capacity to be used as cornerstones. You should not allow others to guess what value you can create.

Being in the game long enough across the management hierarchy, here is my advice to you:

Set a clear goal. The PVP begins with a goal; you need to have clarity around what you have to offer. Targeting will make you more focused and objectively driven.

Recognising one's strength

Recognise your strengths. It may sound obvious, but what you know and what you can do may be different

Tie your strengths to your target employer and position. Don't leave it to the employer to figure out how your strengths relate to a position.

Let your PVP tightly connect you to the position. Connect the dots for the employer. Consider the organisation's perspective and know why they should hire you or promote you.

Provide evidence of success. Your strength may be what an employer is 'buying,' but your achievements are the evidence that you actually have such strength. They make your case convincing. You can get started developing your value proposition today.

Remember that an effective value proposition describes what you do in terms of tangible deliverables. It draws interest and shares a success story in a few words.