Market Yourself

"Market yourself" means to show yourself in the best light to employers. It is very important that you can show that you are a good fit for a job. The person who gets a job may not be the most skilled. They may have been good at promoting themselves. Here are some tips to help you market yourself.

Create your “elevator speech.”
People who hire are very busy. So are people who can help you find a job. You’ll be more effective if you can explain your job search targets. An elevator speech is a good tool to use.

Directions: Think about being in an elevator with a potential employer. You have one minute to talk about yourself. You want this person to know your job target and why you’re a good fit. Practice your speech with people who can give you feedback. When they hear your elevator speech, do they understand what kind of job you’re looking for? Do they understand why you’d be good at it?
Prepare your own Elevator Speech (pdf).

Examples of elevator speeches:

• “My name is Jane Doe. I have two years experience as an office assistant. I also took classes in project management at Whatever College. I have worked in customer service most of my life. I'm looking for an administrative support position. I'd really like to work for a medical company. Do you know of any jobs in that area?"
• "I'm John Doe and I'd love to be your caterer for your next event. I have worked as a chef for six years. I'm starting my own catering company. I want to make good food for memorable events."