Getting Across
"The Real You"
An important part of what we will do for you is to convey the real you by
identifying your full range of "core " attributes, as well as the precise words
and phrases that will be at the heart of your communication strategy. With the
approach to expanding your marketability just described, we will jointly set the
stage to build appeal beyond your basic credentials.
As mentioned earlier, to appreciate your need for a communication strategy
consider the "platform" of a candidate for the Presidency. It anticipates
questions on major issues and formulates well-thought-out position statements to
guide the candidate's answers.
Please realize that your "tickets" alone (advanced degrees, titles, etc.) will
not necessarily motivate another employer to hire you. You must use words that
add interest beyond your credentials. Now, when any of us recruit people, we
have a concept in mind. In the final analysis, we hire others for the traits,
skills and abilities that certain key descriptive phrases imply. So, it's
important to select those that set you apart.
For example, you may have "operated effectively under pressure," or you may be
"an excellent motivator." We will examine hundreds of phrases that we think are
most important for you and which can set you apart.
Good Stories Make
a Lasting Impression
To expand your marketability, you must develop stories to create maximum
interest. Without stories, most people will forget what you say in a matter of
minutes.
To ensure that your points are memorable, we use a method for creating
interesting stories. SOAR is an acronym that stands for Situation,
Opportunities, Actions, and Results. It offers a process for describing your
past experience. We all like good stories and remember them. SOAR represents a
compelling way to present information about your history and accomplishments.
Here's how you can use our SOAR process:
Situations. Describe a
job by reviewing the situation when you began, making it interesting.
Opportunities. Then bring up information about the opportunities that the job
presented. Here's an example of what we mean by Situation/Opportunity. "When I
joined the firm, sales had been declining for three consecutive years. Knowing
the firm's markets, I saw the opportunity to target new areas."
Actions. Next, move to actions taken by you and others (the team). We believe
that these actions are the most important part of the SOAR process.
Results. Then relate what results occurred.
SOAR means telling your whole story. If it's well told, it will generate more
genuine interest than any dry recitation of your duties. When you talk about the
R in SOAR, try to quantify the results. For example, you cut costs by $100,000
or 20 percent.
In many administrative situations, it is not always so easy to quantify results.
In these cases, you need to measure results using statements like "I did it in
half the time," or "The system I developed was adopted throughout the company,"
or "I won an award ... "
Here, you need to indicate positive things you did to help your organizations
and how you took on extra tasks. Describe how you helped your management team
meet their goals, and also the results they achieved. If appropriate, you can
show how you demonstrated a skill, special knowledge or a personal quality.
Develop SOAR stories that cover situations where you can demonstrate the value
of fresh thinking as a means to improve productivity, or show that you have
solved a variety of problems in diverse areas.
Employers need to feel that you are the answer to one of their problems. If you
can show them how you met or exceeded the needs in other environments, they may
conclude that you can do the same for them.
The idea is to create stories that demonstrate the benefits you are bringing to
the organization. If you successfully managed the integration of two teams
following a merger, and the new business gained market share and/or costs were
reduced—by all means say so.
Wherever possible, quantify with dollar amounts, percentages, etc. If you have
many stories, focus on those which are most important. Here we suggest you think
of the position you are seeking, and then select stories that will best position
you for your new role.
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Examples of SOAR Stories
Situation/Opportunity: When I joined MBC Sales, the company had lost nearly
$7.5 million on a new product release. I recognized an opportunity to employ my
Procter & Gamble experience in marketing.
Action:
With the help of the Y & R Agency, I relaunched the brand, created a
new television advertising campaign, and refocused all marketing efforts.
Result: Within a year, we turned an $8 million loss to a $4 million
gain—representing 30 percent of the firm's profits.
Situation/Opportunity: The company recruited 5,000 people a year but never had a good training program.
Action: I created a management training course. With a staff of 20, we
researched materials, broke the process into logical steps, and structured all
course materials.
Result: For the first time, the firm was able to bring in recruits who could
take on responsibilities within four weeks. The following year, sales and
profits increased more than 20 percent each.
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