Use Testimonials to Promote Your Job Candidacy

By Sharon Thomas DeLay

It’s important to promote ourselves and our skills during the job search. However, there is a fine line between reasonable self-promotion and bragging. One away around this is to use third-party testimonials which come from performance development feedback, letters from satisfied “customers,” and awards and recognition.

Résumé: Select comments from evaluations and customer letters and place them along the left side of a 2 column résumé.
Cover letter: Take a similar approach here, listing one or two select comments that reinforce your candidacy for the position. Another, approach is to gain a referral from a third party to your targeted contact, and ask that person if you can use his or her name in the opening lines and mention why that person is referring you.

Interview: At some point in one of your interviews you’re going to be asked one of the following or something very similar: n    What would your last boss say about you?n    Define a strength for me.n    How do you work in teams?n    What would you say your greatest asset is?
In your answer, incorporate a third-party testimonial. For example, in answer to the strength question, you could say something like, “My last employer consistently praised my ability to perform under very stressful circumstances and was always impressed with how I managed to get the job done without losing my cool.”

Networking: The best way of all to get powerful third-party testimonials working for you is to get your network proselytizing for you. If you’re building strong relationships with people and they know you, like you and trust you, they’ll gladly introduce you to other people and sing your praises.
If bragging is not your bag, but you know you need to do it more, think about using third-party testimonials in your career search.

Sharon DeLay is a certified career coach with the goal of helping people find jobs they love and love the jobs they have. Visit www.permanent-ink.com or e-mail Sharon@permanent-ink.com for more information or to subscribe to her twice weekly blog or twice monthly ezine. (c) 2008 Permanent Ink Professional Development Services