If you were hired to sell something, an HDTV, for example, do you think that you would sell very many if you couldn’t describe what makes that particular TV special or useful?  The customer doesn’t want to spend a lot of money without knowing what she is going to get in return.  If you couldn’t quickly convince the client that YOUR TV offered the most features and the clearest picture, customers would nod and smile at you as they moved on to see what the next guy offered.

You see where I’m going with this? In job search, you are selling yourself!  If you don’t know what you have to offer, what makes you special and unique, you aren’t going to get very far.

To write a strong, active resume (your job search calling card),  you need to evaluate your skills and make a connection to the employer’s needs.

You’re thinking that you don’t have any skills?  Many of my clients underestimate what they have to offer an employer.  I once worked with a woman who spoke several languages fluently, but didn’t think it was worth writing on her resume (which targeted an international position).  She believed that “everyone” was multi-lingual.  As a result, the hiring manager may assume that she was unqualified for the job.

Don’t underestimate what you have to offer!  Spend some time thinking about your qualifications. Review a skills list to get you thinking.  List every word that describes you.  Think in terms of what makes you distinctive.  Think about how you would sell yourself.