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As a professional recruiter, I know firsthand that all employers have a salary range they like to work within for every position. Once the most suitable candidate is found, it is my job to negotiate a deal that is acceptable for both parties. In nearly all cases, the difference between the lower and the upper end is $20,000—and I am not talking about executive level candidates here. I am referring to midlevel managers where the salary band can run from $30,000 to $50,000 per year.

Your marketing strategy will determine not only whether you get an interview, but also where you fit in that range. If you market your skills as a commodity, you’ll be lucky to even land the job, and you will be paid at the bottom end. However, if you market and present yourself as a “you-can’t-do-without-me” solution to the employer, you will start near the top or more. Over the course of your lifetime earnings, this can easily amount to an extra $800,000 to $1 million in salary.

There are hundreds of books that explain how to sell yourself in an interview, but you need to get the interview first. To do that, you need to understand what employers are seeking in a candidate.

Being great at your job is not enough anymore. People have to know you are one of the best if you want to advance in your chosen profession. As technology continues to shrink trade barriers and offshore competition increases, North American employers will have more options, and there are likely to be many other candidates who are just as good as you.

The bar for job hunters was raised during the last recession. Indeed, many companies will opt to make no decision rather than risk making a poor hire.

■ SKILLS EMPLOYERS BUY

You need to position yourself in a different way. You need to emphasize those qualities that will let you leapfrog over other competitors. The following qualities will land you at the front of the hiring line:

• Leadership skills

• Communication skills

• Bias toward action

• Passion

• Cultural compatibility

➤ Leadership Skills

At every level of organizations, employers are hiring leaders who can galvanize talented people toward ambitious goals and motivate them to succeed. Employers today don’t need another “team player.” Team players are often afraid to voice their opinions. Who wants another hanger-on? Every company in the United States is battling the clock to stay in business, increase market share, and meet the demands of their shareholders. In this environment, you must convince an employer that you will have a positive influence on their ability to win and that you are an integral part of their solution. If you can’t communicate your personal commitment and drive through your words and actions in the interview, you won’t be their first choice. Be a team leader instead.

➤ Communication Skills

Your ability to communicate a clear vision for your group must be far above average. Unclear writing and lumbering speaking skills rarely indicate sharp thinking, whereas clarity and concise expression are favorable signs. Slang expressions may work well on the factory floor but they will not impress customers or your prospective boss. Employers hire articulate candidates before all others. People don’t have the time to interpret what they think you said. More and more, companies are requesting that candidates prepare presentations and deliver them in front of the hiring board. This is especially true in sales and marketing roles, but it also extends down to line positions on the shop floor.

➤ A Bias toward Action

Because companies are hiring fewer but better qualified people, they are pushing decision-making authority down the chain of command. Today, a manager may need to make a decision that a few years ago might have been approved by a management committee. So no matter what level of employment you are seeking, do not be afraid to ask the hard questions and make tough decisions. You must demonstrate your ability to take action with limited or imperfect information.