Your skills are what you do well. Your talent is how well you utilize your skills. And your value proposition is how you sell your talent. How well you sell your talent is what sets you apart in today’s market.

Determining this takes some time to think through, plan and communicate. Some ideas include:
• Review previous performance reviews
• Talk with your references
• Review previous assessments
• Work with a coach
• Review your accomplishment statements
• Develop stories

Next, make a list of 100 people you know. Then divide the list into three columns by order of influence. The first column is made up of the people who can help you the most. The third column is the people who can help you the least. The middle column is the “who the heck knows” column because you have to put these rascals somewhere.

Start contacting the people in the last column first because you need to make your mistakes where they won’t hurt you. As your confidence and success builds, the columns will no longer be needed.

You can start this now and expedite your search or you can wait and start later. It’s your choice.