When Communicating Your Value, Less is More

Have you ever asked someone what they do for work, and they give you their resume history? Clearly, they are not clear on how to articulate their value. A professional value proposition, or elevator pitch as some call it, is something you want to create throughout your career journey. Why? Because it communicates your strengths, how you bring value in the work you do, and what you are creating next. It also helps you harness and own it internally in your own brain.

When someone asks, “Tell me a little bit about you,” a value proposition statement is a perfect response. It conveys confidence, clarity and a message that you know who you are and what you bring.

People respect others that know themselves and are succinct when communicating it. It also respects the listener in understanding what it is you’re about and good at.

Here is an example of a good value proposition:

I am a Human Resources Manager with a specialization in mergers and acquisitions for the High Tech industry. My strengths lie in my ability to anticipate how a merger or acquisition will be perceived by the employees, how to manage their perceptions to keep morale up, how to retain top talent, and how to make the transition as painless as possible for everyone involved. I have supported a large company in successfully navigating a merger while retaining 95% of their staff and a 92% Employee Satisfaction rate. I am excited to find my next role in a software or application design company in the Denver market.

Notice this statement speaks to my specialization, my strengths within that specialization, actual results on how I have brought companies value, and what I am creating next. Clear, concise and the listener has a clear idea of what I do. This statement takes 30 seconds to recite, and it gives the listener an opportunity to ask me a question, by providing actual ways I have brought value.

The key word is value – how have you brought value in your career?

What were the biggest challenges you experienced in each of your roles?
What action did you take?
What result did you get?

This will help you articulate your value.

Craft a value proposition statement for internal networking and positioning yourself inside an organization, for general networking as a career professional or business owner, and for interviewing.

Your audience will be grateful, and you will feel confident and clear on your message and creating value driven work.