Learn Value Based Communication

by Dejan Mladenovic | Last Updated: April 30, 2021

Value Base Communication is usually used by companies to deliver the message of the company’s values, vision, working culture. You can use Value Based Communication when you want to present your own values or personal characteristics to the future employer when you want to apply for a job.

Value Based Communication is a model to present own personal characteristics in a way that shows benefit for a potential employer.

Which Values Employers Are Interested In

Your future employer can have different values that can be interested in and you as a candidate need to be aware of them so you can present your own personal characteristics (attributes) in a way to be beneficial and in line with the employer’s values.

Here some potential employer’s values:

Employer’s Values

• Money
• Time
• Quality
• Compassion
• Responsibility
• Collaboration
• Community
• Safety
• Creativity
• Reputation
• Curiosity
• …

You can check the company’s website in order to find the vision and mission statements or to look for messages that the company delivers with their values. When you do the first phone call to the contact person in Job Vacancy you can also ask about the company’s working culture and what personality the right candidate needs to possess.

How To Communicate Your Values

You want to present your characteristics divided into three parts:

• Characteristic
• Advantage
• Value

Characteristic

You want to present some personal characteristics (analytical, structured, thorough, goal-oriented, team-player, etc.) by stating either

I am… or I have…

Advantage

After you have stated which personal characteristic you want to present you should give an explanation of the advantage or benefit of applying such characteristic in your work life. You explain the benefit (advantage) by stating

…that means…

Value

Finally, in the value part, you want to explain what kind of benefit (value) an employer gets by having the employee that uses such characteristic in accomplishing the given duties. You present values part with the statement

…that gives / company gets…

VALUE BASED COMMUNICATION EXAMPLE

Let’s apply what you have learned so far with one easy example so it is more understandable.

I am goal-oriented. It means that I am good to prioritize and find solutions when there is a challenge in front of me. It gives efficient use of working time.

Summary

As you can see Value Based Communication gives you excellent presentation capabilities in a win-win situation. Win for you as a candidate since you can present personal characteristics as advantages, when, and how you use them. You finalize with the win for the employer since you present how the employer can benefit if hire you.

Let’s now add the statements that accompany the Value Based Communication structure so it is easier to stick in your head and be permanently useful.

• Characteristic – I am / I have…
• Advantage – …that means…
• Value – …It gives…

Value Based Communication Template Document

We have created a Word document that you can download and use. This is Job Vacancy Analysis Form that has a section where you can list all the personal qualifications that the right candidate needs to possess. While you reading Job Vacancy you will copy all the personal qualifications in the form and in the comment sections you can write down how would you communicate them in value based style.

Get our FREE template Word document for Job Vacancy Analysis.

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Where And When To Use Value Based Communication

When you talk about Job search process you can use value based communication in several stages that you will list first and then explain each of them:

Value Based Communication Application

• Competencies Cornerstones
• Job Vacancy Analysis
• Elevator Pitch
• First Phone Call
• Cover Letter
• Resume (CV)
• Personal Presentation
• Job Interview

How Value Based Communication Fits With Job Search

Competencies Cornerstones

Competencies Cornerstones is a professional and personal mapping of your competencies (both formal and real), motivation, values, personal characteristics (attributes) that will turn into strengths and social skills. You can do the mapping separately and then use the results in your job application process or you can combine the mapping with Job Vacancy Analysis (which we recommend) and do a certain matching between the two.

You can see on the infographic how all the cornerstones are organized and you have links to all the cornerstones and Competeneciese Cornerstones mapping itself so please read these articles to get to know more about each of them.

Job Vacancy Analysis

When you find the Job Vacancy worth spending time to apply for you will do a Job Vacancy Analysis. One of the tasks in the analysis is to identify all the personal attributes that the employer is seeking in the right candidate and they are written in the Job Vacancy. Your next step is to match these with your own strengths and social skills. Finally, these strengths and social skills will be communicated in value based style as we have already explained.

As you can see on the infographic, as you do Job Vacancy Analysis you will look for personal qualifications required for the position and again match them with your own strengths and social skills.

Please notice that we are matching data from two worlds one is coming as a result of Job Vacancy Analysis and the second is coming as a result of Competencies Cornerstones mapping.

Elevator Pitch

Elevator Pitch is a short self-marketing message that you can pitch to the contact person usually during the first phone call.

As you can see on the infographic an Elevator Pitch is structured in the way that there is a strengths presentation part. What a fantastic opportunity to present them so the employer can see the benefit of your strengths for the position that you intend to apply for.

This article will explain to you the power of the Pitch message and how motivation fits within it. So please learn to use Pitch and how to present in the right way by reading mentioned article since it is extremely important, impacting, and helpful to have in your sleeves as a joker card while you are making first impressions to your potential future employer.

First Phone Call

Now is the time to pitch your previously prepared Elevator Pitch. Just remember to have a few questions about the job position that you will ask the contact person. Be prepared well for this stage since this is your first impression to the potential employer or read our article When To Call Job Vacancy Contact Person In Norway.

Phone conversation is a valuable resource of information that you will get from the contact person. You will use the answers to your questions to further fill out your Job Vacancy Analysis and prepare a targeted Cover Letter and Resume (CV).

Cover Letter

Cover Letter has About me section where you will present your strengths and contributions for the job using value based communication.

Resume (CV)

The Key Qualifications section of your Resume (CV) is the right location to present your personality at its best using Value Based Communication so do not miss out on that opportunity to shine and stand out from other CVs.

Personal Presentation

Whenever there is a need for personal presentation either during a job interview, introduction round, some event, etc. You should present yourself as a beneficial person that has value so you can slowly build up credibility with the audience.

Job Interview

A classical example of the need to present yourself at its best is during a Job Interview when you are asked to describe yourself.

Value Based Communication vs STAR technique

Values Based Communication is a powerful, quick, and easy presentation technique for presenting the benefit of your strengths to the employer.

However, when you want to present your contributions we believe that the STAR technique has its advantages since it is more detailed presenting the situation first, tasks and roles in the situation, your action plan, and finally result or outcome of your actions that improved the processes.

Characteristics Wishlist

Here we will list some characteristics as ideas for your potential list of your own strengths. Try to present each of your strengths in value base communication way.

Next Step

Just to be able to compare value based communication with the STAR presentation method we recommend reading the article Know Your Contributions To The Company.

Find Job In Norway By Following These Easy 19 Steps

Don’t forget that this article is part of a text serious about finding a job in Norway. Depending on the phase you are in at the moment maybe you can find some articles useful for yourself. So please check them out.

Below you can see the infographic with an overview of all the texts in the series. If you click on the link above you will be sent to the page where all these steps are listed.

Author: Dejan Mladenovic

I moved my family of 3 to Norway in 2008 and created this website so that I can share what I’ve learned with anyone that’s thinking of moving or traveling to Norway. It’s such an awesome place, and I want you to get the most out of it!