What Do You Bring to the Table?

The question posed above is not totally unfamiliar. Many of us have heard it at one point or the other even if just on social media.

However, how many of us have really taken the time to ponder on this question deeply and the meaning that the answer has on our lives.

If you are asked this question in a job interview, chances are your potential employers want to know what skills or extra flair you can bring aside from what is stated on your resume.

They want to know how having “YOU” on their team will be a plus for them. Notice the fact that I put “you” in caps. Let me explain.

Most likely, you are not the only one being interviewed for that particular position. If you are being interviewed for the position of an accountant, then all the other candidates bring in their accounting skills to the table. By asking what “You” bring to the table, they want to know what separates you from the rest and why you should be hired in place of candidate B, C and the rest.

Having said all of this, it is obvious that just like every product or service in the market, as an individual, you should equally have a unique selling point. This is what you will bring to the table and will help set you out from all others.

If you are a content creator like me, it can be very easy to get lost in the crowd. There are about a gazillion other people who are content creators. For you to be able to stand out, you need to bring something unique to the table. You have to give your readers and clients something that the next guy just would not. This is why they will keep coming back to you.

So, let’s do a quick exercise. Write out a list of what you think are your basic skills; perhaps your degree, professional qualifications and natural talent. Then on another tab, write out the things about you that are unique that you believe are an added advantage to the degrees, qualifications and natural talent.

Note that this USP of yours does not have to be something so extra. It can be as little as having a keen eye for detail, ability to easily spot and correct errors or even being a perfectionist. These things will make the quality of your work different and of course it’s the extra which you bring to the table that others don’t.

In my next article, I will discuss on this same topic but with regard to personal relationships.

Till then, be the very best version of yourself you can be.

xxx 😘

Zino