Many people struggle with this question

– their mind goes blank, they stammer for the right words to say, and then either don’t sound convincing or say something so generic that it doesn’t really answer the question.

I remember listening to several Project Managers a few years ago who were seeking employment, and they all said the exact same thing – “I deliver complex projects on time and under budget.” After about the 10th person, I realized how little people really know about HOW to really go about differentiating yourself.

The good news is, who you are is a really great place to start! Here are 3 things to reflect on as you think of new ways to introduce yourself differently from your competition:

• Is English your second language?

  Great! That means that you speak multiple languages! Many foreign born professionals apologize for their English skills, but however many languages you speak are that many more than most native born Americans, so use that to your advantage, own it and flaunt it.

• What did you do prior to what you are doing now?

  If you are doing something completely different, speaking to your previous experience brings a breadth to your skill set that others may lack. If you’ve been doing the same thing for years, your experience brings a depth to your role that others may lack.

• What did you do or like to do when you were a kid?

  Is it similar, different, related to what you are doing now? Think about how you can use your life experiences, especially while growing up, to augment your description of how you are different.
  I love working with people to uncover the gold mine of their experiences to answer this question, so feel free to book a session with me.

I’d like to invite you to read a thought provoking article from my friend, Bruce LaFetra, who has an interesting take on the topic of ‘differentiation’.