What Makes You Unique?

One of the best ways to impress an employer is to show them something you can do that separates you from other job seekers.

Your career skills are what makes up the core of your personal brand. They are what make you attractive to an organization, so it's in your best interest to emphasize them whenever possible. When thinking about these skills, you should try to frame them around the following question: What can you do that no one else can? This seems like an unanswerable question. After all, is anybody truly unique in this age of specialization?

The answer to that question is no, but that doesn't mean you shouldn't try to paint yourself as someone who can bring unique skills to an organization. It's unlikely that you are the only person in the world who is great at fundraising, but maybe you have a trait in that field that very few others have. Those are the kind of things you need to talk about when you write your cover letter or go in for a job interview.

Here are some other examples of how to make your skills more attractive for specific jobs:

• Marketing: Mention specific a project you have been involved with, and how your efforts led to increased visibility for it.
• Public Relations: A big part of PR is diffusing a crisis as cleanly as possible. Emphasize how you are able to stay cool under difficult circumstances by telling an anecdote from a situation like that.
• Management: Tell your potential employer how you are able to command respect from those that work for you through your actions. You know what they say: Actions speak louder than words.