Layoff Lounge: February 26, 2002

Understanding, Developing, and Marketing Your Personal and Economic Value

Speaker's Bio

Bill Temple is a communications strategist and board-level consultant. He is the author of "The Principles of Effective Personal Marketing" and is the Founder and Director of Consulting for The Christianson Group. Bill is also Founder and Executive Director of SEG>WAY, a regional career development association.

Prior to entering the career management and interpersonal communications field, Bill spent over twenty years in financial services. He has been a senior executive, board member, and consultant for venture capital, bank holding, mortgage-back securities, and thrift and loan organizations.

Following is an outline of Bill's presentation to the Layoff Lounge on February 26, 2002. To access the on-line version of his book, click on "The Principles of Effective Personal Marketing".

I. Understanding Your Value

a. What is your value? How is it defined?

b. What is your “economic contribution”?

c. Defined as:

II. Developing Your Value

a. First start with what you have. If you don’t know what your value is, start with an in depth personal inventory that includes:

i. Your skills

ii. Your strengths

iii. Your behavioral characteristics

iv. Your real world experience

v. Your education/training

vi. Reflected in those situations where you found your work passion most often stimulated.

b. Second, understand where you want to be next, or in the near future

i. What does the position you want require that you don’t have?

ii. What does the position do and how does it contribute to the company’s success?

iii. How do the people in that position speak? (i.e., What is the lingo that defines where you want to be as opposed to where you are?)

c. Third, find out where you can get the knowledge, information, skills, etc. that you will need to become what you want to become.

d. Fourth, learn to talk the talk

III. Marketing Your Value

a. Avoiding the Smorgasbord Principle

b. Understand what the buyer wants before you worry about what’s in it for you

c. Interview like you have the job instead of trying to get the job

d. Remember that it is the perception of reality that gets you hired, not the reality... and it is THEIR perception that counts, not yours.

e. Make sure you’re talking to the decision-maker, not HR (read the biblical parody)

f. Get an offer before you start to negotiate!

      - Bill Temple
    Author, “Principles of Effective Personal Marketing”
    The Christianson Group

The Christianson Group

9449 Balboa Ave. Suite 211, San Diego, CA 92123

Phone: 858-277-5300 • Fax: 858-277-3448