What makes you valuable in the job market?
I’ve Been wanting to post on topics like this for a while now, and I’ve finally made some time to do it.
So many times we’re caught up thinking that we’re not good enough or not valuable enough to employers or clients. But what does it mean to be “valuable” when it comes to your career?
There are 4 things that make you valuable to colleagues and employers:
1. Your knowledge
2. Your proficiency
3. Your (public) experience, and
4. Your reputation
YOUR KNOWLEDGE
Here it’s all about your skillset. What do you know? What areas are you focused on? Does what you know match up with what you want to do in your career? Does what you know match up with what the current job or gig market wants?
YOUR PROFICIENCY
So, you know how to do some things, but how well can you do them? Have you built up your skills well enough that they’ve become second nature to you? Or are you still a novice and need to put in some more work and hone your craft?
YOUR EXPERIENCE
You know some things and you’re good at them. But, what exactly have you done to show that? It’s all well and good to be great at something and say that you’re great at it. But all that means nothing to people if you can’t show them some proof.
YOUR REPUTATION
You know some things, you’re great at them, and you have the work to back it up. But, how many people know you? How many people know you can actually do these things and do them well? How many people will vouch for you. Your network is an important piece of the value puzzle, it literally pays to have other people who hold you in high regard.
The reality is: value in any situation is determined by the people who are paying for the product or service you’re selling. When it seems like they don’t consider your work valuable enough to pay for it, look back at these 4 areas and see where you need work on them to adjust their thinking for your benefit.