[by Todd Joyce]

Here is a short list of why you may have lost that job…

• Hard to work with
• Not a problem solver
• Not fun
• Style is wrong for the job
• Not good with clients
• Reminds the buyer of someone they hated in High School… (it happens)
• Quality of work isn’t as good
• Too many issues in dealing with
• Just didn’t have a good feeling on the phone
• Too expensive
• Unprofessional
• Style doesn’t fit as well w company look
• Inconsistent style
• Not convenient location
• Initial client didn’t know enough about you to put you in front of their client

And, the short list of why you may have gotten the job (and there are more):

• Good listener
• They liked you
• Problem solver
• Convenient
• Fun to work with
• Felt comfortable with
• Good work
• Style fits company look
• Professional
• Reminds them of best friend growing up
• Affordable (worth the price)
• Problem solver
• Fast/efficient
• Experienced
• Reliable
• Highly recommended by colleague/s

Now look at the list of why you can be hired and think about everything from your first question on the phone call to your LinkedIn profile recommendations.

Do you ask good questions and offer solutions or do you raise issues and ask for the client to solve the problems… like asking them “who will take care of lunch?” vs “can I take care of having lunch delivered for us during the shoot to save time?” What they hear in the first question is “we have a problem, can you solve it?” The second one says “can I take care of something you may never have seen as a problem?” Hiring you or not might have more to do with what you exude on the phone – that you are reliable, a problem solver, easy to work with, experienced, fun and “worth the price.” It may be about how they perceive you, rather than the cost.

Sometimes it is about price… not always though. Look at everything you do as being just as important. I’ve hired many assistants, stylists, production people, etc because they were good, reliable and fun over being cheaper. It’s not always about price.

via Strictly Business.