Create a Job-Winning Retail Value Proposition: Start Landing More Interviews

I spend a lot of time talking about why applying online won’t land you your dream job in today’s market as a Retail Manager.

And that online applicants have less than a 1% chance of securing an interview.

If you want to succeed, you need a new approach. 

I’m a firm believer that the best approach is to find people at your dream company who can influence the hiring process and provide them with tons of value. 

Now I’ve already shared some tips on finding people at your dream companies in my last email. 

But how do you go about providing tons of value to them?

Here's where my secret weapon comes into play: the Retail Value Proposition (RVP).

The RVP is a deliverable that you send to a contact (ideally the hiring manager for the job you want) that illustrates your value in a more personalised and targeted way.

When I first used this approach to escape retail for myself it was very basic.

It was just a short presentation about me and how I could help the organisation with its challenges.

But it worked! And ever since it’s been the closest thing to a silver bullet when it comes to securing an interview.

If you’ve ever asked yourself “Why don’t hiring managers in other industries take my retail experience seriously?” 

The truth is our CV [Resume – for those in the US] just isn’t an effective tool for conveying transferable value to hiring managers. 

As a result, they don’t truly understand the difference we can make.

Think of the RVP as an upgrade to the traditional one-dimensional CV.

In the rest of this email, I’m going to show you how you can create a high-quality RVP that adds massive value to those in other industries.

Step 1: Research

To add relevant value, you need to know as much about your target company and the challenges they are facing.

#1 The person you’ve connected with

The best source of information is going to be the people you’ve been busy connecting with as they can give you information no one else can find online. They can tell you about the exact challenges the team or company are currently facing. They can also tell you why they are hiring and what they are looking for in an ideal candidate. 

#2 Online research

If you’re really struggling to connect with a hiring manager or someone at the company, you can still find a huge amount of information online.

Here are some places where you can find key information. 

• Company review websites (what are their customers saying?)
• Social media posts (what are they posting about?)
• Company website (what are their values or mission statement?)
• Job description (what type of person are they looking for?)

Your aim is to establish an angle and then answer the following question with your RVP...

"How do you think your retail experience can best support them based on your research?" 

Step 2: Building out the deliverable

You now need to compile your information into some sort of deliverable.

I personally recommend a PowerPoint slide deck of 3-5 slides.

Whenever I mention RVPs, people usually tell me that they have no idea where to start.

Which is completely understandable.

Here’s an overview. 

• I’d suggest a slide on an overview of the research you’ve conducted.
• 1-3 slides on how you feel you can solve their problems based on your research.
• Then end with a summary about you and why you’re a perfect fit.

Step 3: Sending it

When sending your RVP to the hiring manager, here is what you can say:

----

Hi [Hiring Manager],

I’m sorry for reaching out to you totally out of the blue, but I’m really interested in working at [company] as a [vacancy].

I have spent a lot of time thinking about the positive impact this position might have on some of the challenges you might be facing right now. In fact, I created a short framework that shows how I could potentially be the person to solve those challenges. Please find attached.

If you have some time, I would love to chat about it in more detail.

Please let me know if you have any questions, I’m looking forward to hearing your thoughts.

Kind Regards

[Your name]

----

After sending your RVP, you need to be patient and wait for their response. If the advertised deadline for the vacancy is approaching fast and you haven't received a response, make sure to follow up.

You can also use this approach even if the company doesn't have any live vacancies. Just express your interest in working for the company and mention the challenges that the company may face.

Conclusion

There are two reasons the RVP is super effective.

Firstly, no one else is doing this. You want to stand out from 100 applicants, some with more experience for the job than you. You need to find an advantage, and this is that advantage.

Secondly, you’re essentially validating your value. If you want to secure a job with a £60k salary. Then this is your chance to demonstrate that value in a meaningful way for that company.

It might seem like a lot of work, but nothing worthwhile comes easy, if you want to stand out from the crowd and secure your dream career change, then an RVP is a must! 

Right, that’s it for this week’s newsletter! 

Please share with me the success you have had using your very own RVP’s!

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Whenever you're ready, there are 2 ways I can help you:

1. I'd recommend starting with an affordable course:

Career Idea Generator: Unlock Exciting Career Ideas Outside of Retail

The Proven Framework for Generating 30+ Career Ideas Outside of Retail Without Sacrificing Your Salary (Even if You Have Absolutely No Experience in Other Industries)

The Job Offer Blueprint: How to Secure Interviews for Your Dream Career Outside of Retail.

A Multi-Step System Helping Retail Managers Transition from Constant Rejection to Securing 1-2 Interviews per Week with Exciting Companies in Other Industries. Regardless of Direct Industry Experience or Qualifications

2. If you need more hands-on 1:2:1 support.

Join the Retail Escape Academy. The Retail Escape Academy Is a Proven, All-In-One System for Landing a Job You Love Without Connections, Without Traditional “Experience,” and Without Using Job Search Websites. Includes both "Career Idea Generator" and "Job Offer Blueprint" courses. In addition: Self-Marketing Mastery, Nailing Your Interviews + Loads of Hands-On Support.