Consider . . .

Are you a salesperson?

Are you prepared today to persuasively present your skills and experiences in a formal interview or in a casual meeting?

Do you know what sells best?

Are you confidently responding to objections that are raised?

If you can confidently answer "yes" to each of these questions, then you are well on your way to successfully "selling" yourself.

Reflect . . .

Perhaps the thought of selling is a bit new or strange to you. Perhaps selling is a negative word for you and conjures visions of high pressure, slick tactics and stereotypes foreign to the image you have of yourself. This is not surprising, yet consider for a moment that everyone is a salesperson?in every occupation and from childhood through adulthood. If you like, use the words persuading, negotiating or motivating as substitutions, and then you will quickly see that you are a salesperson. It's likely that not too many hours have passed since you last sold a product, persuaded your child that it was bedtime or curfew time, negotiated with a clerk to stretch the customary procedures, or motivated employees to push themselves a little harder.

Are you convinced? Yes, you are a salesperson.

Now when it comes to a job search, selling takes a different twist. First, you are the product. And so you must thoroughly know your product?that is, yourself. A caution here! Don't be too quick to assume that you know yourself as is expected in an interview. If you have not already done so, take a generous amount of time to assess your skills, talents, experiences, personal traits and professional qualities, along with your dreams and goals.

Once you can answer that you know your product, it's important to examine your