Seeing value in your work

If you can do something others cannot, you have a valuable skill. The true value, however, is in how you think.

Find your unique perspective to see the value in your work. Then, get others to see it too.

How you think is based on your experience, skills, and how you work. Sometimes your experience is layered with other types of experience. That is a good thing, it means you can offer a new way of thinking.

Inventory your skills and experience.

Decide the type of work you want to do and a relevant job title. Find a few job posts from popular companies. Highlight the hard and soft skills. Don’t worry about years of experience, we’re looking for hard and soft skills.

1. Write down what skills you have and then what skills you need. See where the gaps are so you know what else you might need to know.
2. Hard skills can be learned, but they aren’t very useful without soft skills. Soft skills are more like natural personality traits. It’s what makes you a great person to work with. List those too.
3. Think about all of your experience in work or volunteering. Have you had to use any of these soft skills at previous jobs? List other skills you have too.

Decide how you want to work and how it will bring value to you and your clients.

Are you able to work quickly because you’re very organized? For project work, this is a great way to grow your income. For clients, it can make working together a breeze.

Maybe you’re great at research, or are very knowledgeable about a specific topic? This can certainly add more value.

Feel free to use this formula to talk about your unique perspective:

To [client goal] you might think you need [incorrect and outdated solutions], but you actually need [solution you offer].

Think about your brand, it can determine your pricing.

Yes, you have a brand. Your brand is how people describe you to others. 

What’s in a brand? Choose 2 hard skills and 3 soft skills to focus on. These are your keywords. 

When you fill out your about section, or your case studies, you want to emphasize these. You’ll also think about this when you get to pricing out your work. Keep your client in mind. What can they afford? What do they really need?

You create your brand on your profile and write case studies. This helps clients feel like they know you before they meet you. Your profile on SelfMade is much more than a resume, it’s proof you can do the work! 

Come back to this exercise when you need some inspiration. 

Keep reading to learn more:

Getting experience when you don’t have any

Writing about yourself in a way that feels organic

Writing a case study