Broadly speaking, the value of an asset amounts to the benefit (cash flow, perhaps) divided…
John Borrowman, CPC
Borrowman Baker, LLC
Gallatin, TN
If you work in business valuation, you know that, broadly speaking, the value of an asset amounts to the benefit (cash flow, perhaps) divided by the risk. But what does that mean when the asset is you?
Start by thinking about how buyers and sellers think differently about a transaction.
If you’re in a job search, you’re focused on your value to an interviewer. As the ‘seller’ in the situation, it’s natural to focus on the benefit; the numerator.:
As the ‘buyer’, however, your would-be-boss is focused on the denominator. He’s thinking about risk. And if he doesn’t hear from you about how you can help reduce that risk, he may not perceive value. You have to frame your experience in a different way:
- You know the difference between time wisely invested and time wasted.
- You are sensitive to productivity and profitability.
- You recognize that business development is key to leadership.
In the employment marketplace, the seller pays more attention to the numerator than the denominator. That could turn out to be a mistake when the buyer is the boss.
John Borrowman
