www.sharongraham.ca

No, I’m not talking about becoming Oprah or giving away actual cars. CAR is a proven technique for gaining traction in your job search with high impact, action-oriented achievements.

Drive your job search by developing some achievement stories using the CAR (Challenge, Action, Result) technique. You can give away CARs in your resume and other job search documents, when networking, during interviews — and even when negotiating your compensation.

The first step in developing your CAR statements is to brainstorm your background. Review your career and identify your best accomplishments. Describe a specific CHALLENGE (situation or task) that you needed to accomplish or resolve. Provide details such as names, dates, and places to add credibility to your statement. Next, describe the ACTION you took. Discuss what you specifically did to address the situation. Finally, describe the positive RESULTS you achieved. Explain how your organization benefited by your actions. If possible, use numbers to quantify your results and show how your CAR impacted the bottom-line.

When you prepare your CAR statements, consider the characteristics that may be important to a prospective employer. Think about the high-level talents and competencies that they may be looking for such as leadership, visioning, communication, team building, personal initiative, business plan development, goal orientation, decision-making, problem solving, and change implementation. Develop a variety of examples from your previous positions, business events, committee leadership, community service, and academic successes.

Write down your CAR statements, but don’t memorize them verbatim. Rather, practice telling your story aloud. Rehearse your CAR statements whenever possible. Practice in front of the mirror. Try out a story with your spouse. Give it a run-thorough while you’re in the shower. This will keep your examples fresh in your mind and you’ll continue to find new and interesting ways to deliver them.

When you interface with contacts, you will be well-prepared to select and deliver appropriate CARs that best demonstrate the talents and abilities that they are looking for.

CARs are powerful vehicles you can hand out in all your job search venues:

• Deliver powerful CARs in your resume, case studies, and biography.
• Give every new contact a high-level CAR when networking.
• Endow recruiters with CARs during phone calls.
• Give interviewers CARs when replying to questions.
• Present references with CARs when asking them to endorse you.  
• Offer employers CARs when negotiating the job offer.

CARs are a great way to impress.  Your CAR statements will grab the listener’s attention and create a lasting positive impression, allowing you to stand apart from the competition.

Take a tip from Oprah during your complete career transition, remember to tell everyone: “You get a CAR! You get a CAR! You get a CAR!”

For additional tips, read 10 Tips for Crafting S.M.A.R.T. Interviewing Stories.

Thank you for reading my blog! Please email me if you spot any errors in this post.