Get ready to make your job search take flight!
Wouldn't you like to be able to soar above the competition? It's not all that hard to do, really. If you have completed all of the prior inventory exercises you have already started to taxi down the runway.
The way to beat out your competitors is to outsell them. It cannot be stressed often enough and will continue to be stressed-the way to outsell your competition is to be as specific as possible when presenting your sales pitch. Roll out your experiences, skills, personal attributes, and accomplishments and validate each and every one of them. Complete this final exercise and you should be ready and eager to enter the awaiting fray.
SOAR
Americans love acronyms. Here's another one. But, unlike most of the rest, it has the potential to change your life. SOAR stands for Subject, Overview, Action, and Result. This is the formula to remember and follow throughout your job search. Take an accomplishments, skill, experience, or personal attribute and turn it into a SOAR statement.
For example, as a department head, you proposed and implemented a new bookkeeping procedure resulting in the elimination of one clerical position. That's your accomplishment.
Now, let's suppose an interviewer asks you to cite an accomplishment. Following the SOAR formula, and using the accomplishment cited above, you might (without saying Subject, Overview, Action, and Result before each statement) reply:
Subject: "I have several accomplishments I'm extremely proud of, but let me tell you about a change I made in our bookkeeping department."
Overview: "We were wasting too much time preparing repetitive reports. I decided it was time for a change; a change that would save time, manpower, and money"
Action: "Here's what I did. First, I interviewed my department personnel to see if they had any suggestions or ideas. Several of them did. I discovered they were just as disgusted with the constant repetition as I was. I studied their ideas and found the reports in question all had three common elements. Then I discovered it was possible to eliminate three out of five daily reports by making them part of the remaining two."
Result: "This resulted in the elimination of one redundant employee, saving the company $25,000 a year. Would you like me to go into more detail?"
Once again,
S-State the Subject-no more than two sentences. Two or three words is even better.
0-Present a brief Overview-three or four sentences is usually sufficient.
A-Tell what Action you took-keep it brief. Seven or eight descriptive sentences is usually enough. Try to make the listener or reader picture you doing whatever it is you're telling him about. He will have to picture you in a setting he is familiar with. In doing so, if what you say captures his interest, he has subconsciously taken the first step in hiring you. This is because he has already "seen" you working with him and his company.
R-Conclude with the Result-be certain to include dollars, numbers, and percentages whenever you can.
Then, conclude your result statement with a question if possible. For example: "Do you have any questions?" or "Does that answer your question?" or "Would you like me to go into a little more detail?"
Why ask a follow-up question? To try to establish a pattern for the ensuing interview; a pattern wherein you and the interviewer establish a dialogue instead of your being interrogated and placed on the defensive.
Directions: Select the accomplishments, skills, personal attributes, or work experiences you are proudest of, that you believe will most impress the listener or reader. Write each as a SOAR statement using the forms provided on the next several pages. Keep each statement brief. You should be able to recite it in no more than 30 to 60 seconds. Make it a habit, beginning right now, to follow up each SOAR statement with an appropriate question.
Do at least ten of these statements using the forms provided. Fifteen or twenty would be even better. After you have worked on each statement, condensing and crystallizing it, transfer it to an index card. Take these cards with you wherever you go and practice them. It is imperative you complete and practice your SOAR statements. They constitute the heart and soul of the job search you are about to embark upon. You'll use them in your resume, cover letters, telephone calls, and in your interviews.
Summary
All too often, job seekers try to close the barn door after they've let the horse get away. That is to say, they gradually discover all sorts of good things to say about themselves as their search progresses. This is fine and good, but what about all of the opportunities they may have missed because they didn't have this great information right at the beginning? Who knows whether or not they missed the job of their dreams?
There is absolutely nothing more important to a successful job search than the information solicited in this chapter. You are not going to be hired because you "did a great job." You will not be hired because of what your references have to say about you. They won't even be contacted unless you give employers some reason to contact them. Can you help the company make more money? How? How soon? Prove it. That's the bottom line. Will you be the type of person the boss can get along with? Will you be a fit? How can they be sure? Because of what you have to say about yourself? Talk is cheap. Prove it.
Completing this chapter will take a lot longer than you might like. Don't give up. Stick with it. Do it one section at a time if you must, but above all, do it! This up-front investment of time can get you employed for a much longer time and with far better monetary rewards.
