Volume 10, Issue 6

Coach Vickie Bevenour, PCC -www.CoachVickie.com

October  2012

This Newsletter


... is a quick tip ezine for Managers who believe in "Results Derived from Within"

Written by: Vickie Bevenour, a Professional Certified Coach, PCC

 

Your Subscription


You are receiving this because you have subscribed or someone you know thought that you might enjoy the tip and has forwarded it to you.

If you do not wish to receive this tip ezine in the future, click here to send us an email with the word cancel as the subject.

If you wish to subscribe, click here to send us an email with the word subscribe in the subject.

 



Coach Vickie Bevenour
919-303-4780
Click here to
email Coach Vickie

The RDW Group, Inc.
114 Partheni Court
Cary , NC 27519

October 2012

 

Effective Self-Promotion in Networking and Interviewing

This is the last in a series of newsletter discussions about the gentle art of self-promotion. Some of you might be tired of this subject, but let’s face it; we all need to get better at letting the world know about our accomplishments and our potential value that we could bring to their work opportunities.


When you are trying to promote yourself - whether in a subtle situation of networking or in the more formal environment of interviewing, there is only one thing that your listener wants to know, how exactly can you help them?. That is….the only indication of your future performance is your past performance. Fortunately, your past performance can easily be conveyed in your stories and CAR (Challenge, Action, Result) statements. Below are three steps that you should master in order to WOW anyone. By using these guidelines, you will be prepared – anytime – anywhere to talk about yourself and sound professional and in control. Please remember that your CAR stories are simply presenting the facts of your past accomplishments in a precise and concise manner.

Step One: When using your CAR stories in an interview situation for a job that is “formalized” with a specific job ad; pick the top five requirements that the job requires and match your CAR’s to these top five requirements. Prepare two or three stories for each requirement. You could formulate your interview answers in the following manner:


State job requirement + present CAR + ask a question relating to the job requirement


If you follow this simple pattern you will maximize your interview experience.


Step Two: Now let’s take a look at using your CAR’s in a networking situation. Imagine you have been trying to schedule a meeting with that “important person”, on your networking list. When your persistence finally pays off, how do you prepare for the critical meeting? The answer is to research the top five needs that this person has and match your CAR stories to the person’s major concerns. Speak their language by matching your past results with this person’s current issues you immediately help your listener make the connections between what they need and the value you will provide. This method will help you maximize your networking meeting.


As an example, I recently met with a woman from Cisco who was “handpicked” to build a new specialized team. She was worried about impressing her new manager who had already demonstrated that she had a very “quiet” communication style. The woman that I was meeting with has a very open and talkative communication style and was intimidated by her new manager’s one word answers. The manager was very clear on the goals of the new team. I suggested that my client take the top five goals of the team and match them to her fabulous CAR stories, thus allowing her to meet with her new manager and explicitly demonstrate what she could do to help the new team accomplish their goals. This “win – win” type of approach is the foundation for a rich relationship.


Step Three: Lastly, for a general type of networking meeting, many people ask me how to prepare for an appropriate agenda and discussion. If your goal is to give the other person information about yourself then, I suggest the following format. Match your top three natural strengths to your top three CAR stories. This is your WHO and your WHAT. Being able to confidently and effortlessly tell a business colleague who you are and what you do well, by giving them a real life example is the best way to maximize both your time and their time in this networking meeting.


Congratulations, by mastering these steps and matching your strengths and CAR stories with the major needs of those with whom you would like to professionally partner, you are concisely and precisely promoting yourself and deriving results from within.

*To review any of these past newsletters, please visit the Newsletter section of www.CoachVickie.com

 


If you like the tip, let us know but more important, share it with a friend or colleague. As always, YOUR SUCCESS IS MY GREATEST PLEASURE.

© Copyright 2012  The RDW Group, Inc.

                                                                 Newsletter formatted by Business Assist