Value proposition

If you are looking to reinsert yourself into the job market, the first thing you should do is discover what is the best fit for you, what you have to offer, and what you want to achieve. Defining these points will give you greater “focus” and make it easier to obtain what you want. This first step forms the foundation for convincing others through your self-confidence and for causing a good impression through concrete arguments, events, experiences, examples, etc.

More exercises and greater perspectives for defining your values/motivations, abilities/achievements, and work vision/value proposition are available through the Work Transition Programs.

See a summary of programs here.

Schedule an evaluation session here.

For more information, write to colocaciones@ing.puc.cl.

Below are some exercises you can use to create your value proposition.

1. Your values and motivations

It is important to reflect on who you are, on what you value, and, using these insights, what professional paths are the best fit for you.

Values are what you intrinsically value or desire and are a part of the natural essence of each individual. Values reflect the deep convictions that you hold and determine how you act, behave, and make decisions. The objective of the following exercises is to help you determine your personal core values in a professional context. With this information, you will feel more dedicated and motivated in your work.

Exercise:

Step A:

Below is a list of values. Select the eight values that are most important to you and then rank the selected values in order of importance:

Step B:

Reflect on what you liked in your last two jobs in relation to your position, your boss, and the company. Write each of these categories down and list what you liked for each point and why.

This exercise is a chance for you to stop and think about factors related to your position, your boss, or your company that made you satisfied.

Based on this reflection, make a summary of what you really like and value in your job. This will be useful for you when defining your career path.

Example:

2. Your abilities, knowledge, and achievements

Identify the main achievements you can use as concrete examples and arguments for sharing your knowledge with those around you. The best evidence of your own abilities is your achievements.

Think in challenging situations you have faced and recall the actions you took and the results you had.

Exercise:

Step A:

Identify and write down your biggest achievements. Following are some questions that can help you with this exercise:

• What problems have you identified and solved?
• How and to what extent have you contributed to company earnings?
• What challenges have you overcome?
• What have you done to increase sales, reduce costs, and save time or money for the company?
• What new product, project, or program have you developed or implemented?
• What recognition or awards have you won?
• What type of decision making processes or strategic planning have you been a part of?
• Have you ever been promoted? Why and how long after being in the company?
• Have you learned from a bad experience? Did you propose a solution?
• When have you had to work in a team and what concrete results did your team obtain?

Step B:

After writing down your principle achievements, reflect on the following:

• What I am most proud of is ………………………………………….
• What I really enjoyed was …………………………………………….
• What I was most enthusiastic about, what motivated me the most was……………………………………

Step C:

Read each of your principle achievements and identify the competencies you applied in each case, the knowledge you gained from each experience, and the qualities you demonstrated.

Example:

3. Your vision of work

Imagine yourself in five more years, in ten more years, living a full and satisfied life. Imagine all of the aspects of your life in relation to career, including the place where you would be working, the activities you would be doing, who your coworkers would be, the experiences you would be living, etc.

This is how you create your vision of work. It is how you imagine the future in relation to this aspect of your life, i.e., your career. To create this vision of work, you have to have an open mind and a lot of imagination. It is important to leave aside external prejudices you may have heard, such as “You should work in finance,” as well as internal prejudices, such as “It’s too late to begin a career in marketing.”

Prepare yourself to dream big.

Writing down your vision of work will help you reflect and clarify what is really important for you. This exercise will help you manage your career in both the short and long term.

Exercise:

Based on what you have thought about in the above exercises, answer the following questions:

• Where do you want to be in your career in five years?
• What role do you want your career to play in your life?
• Who would you like to work with?
• What type of environment would you like to work in?
• What pace do you want to work at?
• What type of business do you want to work for? (Size, area, national/multinational, etc.)
• What type of daily activities do you see yourself doing?
• What type of recognition do you want to receive and from who?
• What experiences do you want to live?
• What type of impact do you want to have and on who?
• What skills would you like to develop?

4. Your value proposition

Few people are really the “owners” of their professional life. In fact, not everyone has well-defined, structured professional and life paths. It is very common to “let things flow,” and to march along a career path without knowing why or, in other words, “I have followed the path that led me here.”

Once you have done the exercise of getting to know yourself better, of identifying your motivations, of understanding your abilities and short-comings, you are prepared to define your value proposition and the conditions you want in a job.

Exercise:

Incorporating the results of the above exercises, reflect and summarize all you have to offer, what you are looking for in a job, and where you see yourself in the future.

Example:

* More exercises and greater perspectives for defining your values/motivations, abilities/achievements, and work vision/value proposition are available through the Work Transition Programs.

See a summary of programs here.

Schedule an evaluation session here.