Recently I found a reference to a 1938 (yes 70 odd years ago) book “Pick Your Job and Land It” written by Sidney Edlund, head of Life Savers Inc. The book is based on these four principles:

1. Offer a service instead of seeking a position.
2. Appeal to the self-interest of your prospective employer.
3. Be specific as to the job you want, and as to your qualifications.
4. Be different, and still be sincere.

As these principles map directly to some of the content in the Instant Impact Workshop I was thinking …

How might you approach job-hunting the “Instant Impact” way?

1. Stand out – offer a service instead of seeking a position. Start thinking like a professional service provider. What kind of problems is this employer facing? How can you be of service in resolving those issues?
   

   I was recently talking to a Project Manager in the construction industry. They were stuck trying to find work. Working together we generated over 20 different issues they could solve for different companies. They are now using these to conduct ‘issues’ based job searches.

2. Command attention - Appeal to the self-interest of your prospective employer. Before an interview think of a few creative ideas for the interviewer's organisation. Introduce these during the meeting and make the whole process interesting, different and useful for the interviewer. Let them see beyond your CV to the value you can really add.
   

   Moira is one of my favourite business associates. She always has lots of fresh ideas whenever we meet. With a little acuity and lateral thinking you can do the same. For inspiration try modelling the approach taken by the heroine - played by Melanie Griffith - in the film Working Girl. (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0096463/)

3. Build Credibility - Be specific as to the job you want, and as to your qualifications. In order to do this it’s important to know you strengths. There are some great and inexpensive ways to do your own analysis.
   
   The online StrengthFinder 2.0 assessment is a great start. You’ll need the book (http://tinyurl.com/ccmcgv) which is around £10 and contains an access code.

   Supplement this by asking six people who know you well – “What do you see as my unique ability?” Compare and synthesise the answers. This will give you a great start toward knowing the best type of job for you and what you bring to it alongside your professional qualifications. Knowing this will give you confidence.

4. Express Yourself - Be different, and still be sincere. There are many ways to express yourself differently and still be authentic.

   I saw one of the best ideas from a job candidate when - a few days before meeting me for an interview - a graphic overview of their work arrived on my desk. Even though I’d already seen their professional CV I was blown away. This was something else completely, I’d not been expecting anything like it at all - especially from an IT "techie". The content was appropriate and bold and this candidate had an advantage over the other job applicants before they even entered the room.

For more information check out the Instant Impact Workshop, where we help consultants, leaders and sales professionals sell their ideas to others.