Do you consider yourself a good salesperson? If yes, good for you--you will be putting your skills to work throughout the job search process. If not, get ready to become one--because in order to be effective in your job search, you have to become effective at marketing and selling.

Your "product" is you and your "market" is the segment of the employment marketplace that is a potential purchaser of your product.

Remember these two key points:

1. No one knows your product better than you.
2. No one can make the sale other than you.

If you don't market you, who will? Successful entry level job search is not just a matter of taking a few on-campus interviews and waiting for the offers to roll in. You need to fully prepare yourself for a highly competitive entry level job market.

No matter what your major, no matter what field you intend to enter, you must be ready, willing, and able to market yourself. Just as it is difficult to market a product you do not truly believe in, it is difficult to market yourself if you do not believe in yourself. First and foremost, you have to believe in you. Don't expect me to believe in you if you don't already. How can I be expected to "buy in" if you don't buy in first?

Take a long hard look in the mirror. Don't look for the bad--look for the good. Look for all the good points. Look for all the aspects about you and your background that make you an outstanding job candidate. Those are the attributes that I want to see when I meet with you.

The reality is, it's easy to market a product you love. If you are enthusiastic about your work and your ability to complete the necessary tasks and activities, you will not even think of it as marketing. But if you are doing it "just for the bucks," then you are just selling your services to the highest bidder. And eventually it will burn you out.

In preparing to meet the needs of the marketplace, make sure you are comfortable selling your talents and skills to that market. The reaction from the other side of the desk to true enthusiasm will almost always be positive.

Sit on the other side of the desk. Imagine interviewing yourself for the position you most desire. Would you hire you? If not, why would anyone else? Work on yourself, your appearance, your attitude, your enthusiasm, your professionalism, your product, before you bring your final product to market.

You never get a second chance at a first impression. Make sure your first impression is right on the mark.

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