What's your secret sauce?

I’ve been asked this twice recently.

There was a time when I didn’t have an answer. I was stumped. It was like asking “How do you breathe?” I don’t know. I’ve been doing it for so long that it just happens.

I started to ask people. Not about me, but about their experience.

“What has your experience been like with executive search firms?”

People have a lot to say, from both an employer and candidate perspective.

They’d also tie their answer back to their experience with me, unprompted.

As I listened, I understood my value prop.

It all boils down to assessment and understanding.

Understanding positions beyond the JD, and assessing candidates at another level.

We all have a secret sauce. You may not know what it is until you gain perspective. It’s easy to be heads down, doing a great job, and thinking what you do is typical.

It’s not.

If you’re hiring or if you’re interviewing, showcase your value prop.

First make sure to find it.