DIFFERENTIATE YOURSELF:
When I was an electrical engineering major at Union College, my days and nights were packed. I was working “full-time” with multiple part-time jobs, playing college sports, and occasionally going to class and doing my schoolwork.
My GPA was average, but when it was time to graduate into the real world, I made it my priority to land a management job that would pay for my MBA while working in the “real world” full time.
When it came time for interviews, I had two minutes to make an impression. Recruiters would ask, “Why should we hire you over someone else?”
My answer? “I have the highest GPA per hour studied of anyone you’re going to interview. I’m efficient.”
They’d look puzzled and ask, “How can you prove that?”
I’d respond tactfully with, “How can’t you? I’m juggling playing sports, working ’full-time’, and I’m sitting here, walking, talking, and chewing gum all at once. If you hire me, you’ll get 100% of my effort, and I’ll still manage to get my MBA on the side.”
That pitch set me apart. One recruiter, in particular, took notice.
But what really sealed the deal wasn’t just my efficiency—it was a 30-minute conversation about Big Ten Conference football. She was a Michigan State University fan, and her son played football at Princeton University. My dad went to University of Michigan, so we had plenty to talk about.
That connection built trust and made me memorable. I walked away with a job offer.
That experience taught me a valuable lesson: In any situation, you have to find a way to differentiate yourself. Whether you’re trying to land a job, close a deal, or build a business, standing out is crucial.
But differentiation isn’t just about your qualifications. It’s about building trust and finding common ground.
Sometimes, all it takes is one thing—a unique perspective, an unusual skill, or even a shared passion—that sets you apart and gets you noticed. That’s how you get your foot in the door.
And once you’re in, it’s up to you to prove that taking a chance on you was the right decision.
In a world where everyone has credentials, what makes you different? How will you stand out?
Find that one thing that makes you unique and leverage it.
Because at the end of the day, somebody has to take a shot on you—and it’s your job to make sure they do, and then, prove they were right for doing so.
Take your shot with VERVE!
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