Marketing Yourself

The history of commerce is littered with the remains of brilliant, practical and eminently useful products that failed because of lousy marketing. No one bought them, because no one knew about them. If your career seems stalled, you may be suffering from the same problem. Being a skilled, reliable and innovative professional won't do much for your career if your current or potential employer is not aware of the assets you possess and the accomplishments you have made. Even in the strongest job market in recent history, you have to know how to market yourself.

"Even though the job market is booming, employers are still very selective about who they hire, as they should be," said Sue Taylor, BA, RHIT, president of Global HealthCare Recruiters. "Most employers are not willing to run the risk of hiring just anyone for a position. There are just too many risks, both financially and legally, involved in hiring an individual who is not qualified for a position." And this applies whether you are seeking a new job or looking for a promotion from your current employer or a lateral move within your organization. Regardless of your aspirations, you are going to be called upon to sell yourself. Marketing 101 There are two principles of marketing that hold true regardless of what you are promoting. The first is, know your product. When marketing yourself, it's important to be able to quantify exactly what it is that you have to offer. Taking the time for self-evaluation can help you determine exactly where your strengths lie. Armed with this information, document any specific related accomplishments. Did you re-engineer a process that helped save your employer time and money? Did you volunteer for a project that gave you valuable information technology (IT) experience? Write down any evidence you have of your skills at work. In addition to getting in tune with your abilities, it is also important to assess your personal enthusiasms. "Keep your eyes open and your antennae up," advised Beth Hjort, RHIA, practice manager for the American Health Information Management Association. "During the course of the day, find the tasks that inspire you." Understanding your strengths and desires will help guide you to discover the direction in which you would like to take your career and enable you to focus your efforts. Which brings us to the second marketing principle: Know your audience. Doing a little research into a position can help you tailor your sales pitch for maximum effectiveness. Talk to others who hold the title you desire. Use the Internet to find information about the organization to which you are applying. This kind of information can help you plan the most effective marketing strategy. Making the Grade A truly effective marketing effort is not restricted to a particular job search, however. Successful career promotion requires an ongoing effort. "I have worked with candidates who have done an excellent job of marketing themselves by volunteering for speaking engagements, writing articles for publications and publishing books," noted Taylor. Activities such as these don't have to be done on the national level. They can be scaled down to increase your visibility within your own facility. Write an article for your hospital newsletter or join an interdisciplinary committee. Make an effort to get your name out there, even if you do it one person at a time. "By networking with other professionals you can make important contacts, stay abreast of changes in your field and market your skills and abilities to your peers," explained Taylor. "On several occasions, I have seen employers base their hiring decision on feedback they had received from a colleague of the candidate." Gretchen Berry is a former staff member at ADVANCE.