In the education and nonprofit sectors, we don’t always get the chance to consider our skills, strengths, and interests when it comes to our professional lives. We humbly keep our heads down and solve tough problems for our students and communities, regardless of whether we like the work. Here at WorkTogether, we ground career coaching in the belief that every job seeker has a unique set of problems they can solve and enjoy solving- even when it’s hard! This is the foundation of a personal value proposition.
Ana Wolfowicz, one of our Career Coaches, says, “I often reference the role of school principal when chatting about this topic with clients. Though a principal must demonstrate skill in business and campus operations, instructional leadership, strategy, and human capital, they may not love performing all these functional areas. One principal may feel most energized when they’re observing classrooms and delivering feedback, another may be most in the zone when they’re designing community engagement programming, and another may find incredible joy while re-doing the master schedule.
My clients share that the opportunity to step back and reflect on the problems they know how to solve and actually want to solve feels like a revelation. These reflections can help lead to one’s personal value proposition. The insights that come from this practice serve as a professional’s north star in a job search and the answer to the question: “why should we hire you instead of someone else?”
As you’re approaching your next job search, we encourage you to pause. Ask yourself the following:
- What are the problems I am most skilled at solving in my professional life and I get excited about solving?
- What are proof points I have that demonstrate my ability to solve these problems?
- In what context do I want to solve these problems (i.e. campus or central office, start up or established organization, nonprofit education organization or private curriculum company, traditional public school or public charter school, etc.)?
Your answers to these questions will inform your personal value proposition statement, and set you up for a more strategic and successful job search. It will allow you to strategically review job descriptions and communicate your unique value-add to employers. You can also use your personal value proposition to advocate for a raise at work or adjustment in your current responsibilities. You may also find that your reflections affirm and validate the work you’re already performing!
Need support navigating your job search? Our team can help. Check out WorkTogether Talent Consulting’s Career Coaching services to learn more.
