Quiet Quit with a High-Value Pitch

Are you weighing your options as part of the quiet quitting trend? Here’s a word to the wise: Get ready to articulate your value. However, it may be time to rethink what “value” means.

Here’s the traditional list: Work experience? Check. Education and professional credentials? Check. But qualifications alone aren’t the only factors determining the impact you might make. For example, in a recent article about Google’s internal process, a critical part of their hiring criteria relies on peer references and employee testimonials.

So, how do you score those great testimonials? By having your How in order, and that means putting soft skills to work.

Let me tell you how changing your mindset about what is valuable might lead to finding the perfect fit.

Change the Way You Think about Value

Austin Belcak had a serious problem: He couldn’t get hired, but it wasn’t for lack of trying. After 300+ applications, he was still batting zero.

But two years later, he found himself in the final rounds at major tech companies like Microsoft, Google, and Twitter.

How did he make the leap? Through an 11-step process he shared on Twitter. For instance, he made a list of potential contacts at his favorite companies. Next, he reached out and kept in touch, picking up intel about their career path and the business challenges they faced every day. Then he created pitch decks for his top target companies, capturing everything from how he would close a potential client to ways to monetize a platform’s existing audience.

But the most significant turnaround was also the simplest. Before Austin did all that legwork, he changed his perspective. He tweeted:

“I used to think the most qualified candidate got the job. That’s not true. Companies don’t hire the most qualified candidate. They hire the person they believe will deliver the most value.”

Once the light bulb went on, Belcak had a new goal. He swapped trying to be the most qualified candidate with becoming the most valuable.

How Do You Side-Step Trouble?

In the September series, Soft Skills Essentials for Quiet Quitting, we’re discussing ways to use soft skills to land a new job, attain a leadership position, or expand in your current role. Wherever you are on the journey, the ask for results may make you nervous. Your mind could race with sales figures, the number of deals closed, or project budgets you may have managed. Those are all excellent achievements, but don’t stop there.

You can also quantify your value by mentioning everything that doesn’t happen. Highlight ways you use soft skills to avoid trouble.

Let’s take a swing at this exercise with some popular soft skills. For instance,

1. Part of your problem solving value is seeing issues and big themes as they develop. Using insight ensures small problems don’t snowball into bigger problems.
2. Part of your communication value is reducing spinning and cycling. You send the right style of communication to the right person at the right time.
3. Part of your productivity acumen is managing projects at different work stages. You’re aware when to schedule a deep dive or give everyone a much-needed break with a light touch check-in.

Here’s the takeaway: Qualifications open the door, but soft skills close the deal. So, start thinking of ways you can put the whole package together. Link your qualifications to your hard skills, lived experience, and soft skills.

Boss Up with “Soft Skills Basics in a Flash”

If you’re new to soft skills or want a refresher, boss up with my free 15-minute course, “Soft Skills Basics in a Flash.” You’ll learn what soft skills are, why people who understand soft skills stand out in a crowd, and practical, actionable ways to use soft skills every day. With the bonus 1-pager, “7 Ways to Pitch Your Soft Skills Superpower” in your back pocket, you’ll leave calm, self-assured, and ready to speak soft skills with anyone who asks.

Don’t quiet quit and just throw your hat into any ring. Instead, show why you’re the most valuable candidate.