To our way of thinking, a job search has quite a bit in common with making a large sale. However, that doesn’t mean you have to change yourself into a high-pressure sales machine. Even shy people can be good at sales. It’s more about listening to what the hiring manager needs—and them describing the parts of your background experience that match his or her needs.

It may be helpful to think about this “sale” in terms of the salary you’re seeking. For instance, if you’re pursuing a job that pays $50,000 a year—and you’d like to hold the job for 4 years—that can be equated with a $200,000 sale. Of course, you’ll have countless opportunities to prove your worth once you’ve been hired, but first you have to get the job offer. Thinking in terms of total earnings can help you decide how much to invest in any materials you need (e.g., business cards, clothing, printing, postage, etc.) to make the sale.