An HR expert with 20 years of experience offers the top tip for securing a job offer in today's competitive job market.

The job market is showing signs of improvement, but it's not as robust for job seekers as it has been in the past.

Negotiating a job offer can be challenging after landing one.

Tessa White, a career coach with 20 years of HR experience and founder of The Job Doctor, states that it's not impossible.

The key to successfully negotiating a job offer, according to her, is for job-seekers to be "absolutely clear about their value proposition."

When revamping their resume and preparing for interviews, the first thing she helps clients determine is their unique value proposition.

The mistake people make when pitching themselves as a new hire

Thinking that your value proposition lies in past tasks can limit your potential in a new job, as White points out, because "your worth is determined by your results."

"White argues that while someone may claim to have experience and be skilled at a job, it does not necessarily mean anything. Instead, the language of business is numbers."

Rewritten sentence: In my previous role, I successfully implemented a new project management system that streamlined our workflow and increased productivity by 25%, resulting in a 10% increase in revenue.

In my previous role, I successfully gained 12% market penetration in a specific target market while maintaining a 98% customer retention rate.

"Suddenly, she wants that [candidate]," says she.

Focusing on outcomes can help you 'negotiate much higher pay'

"If I go in and say, "I'm the ideal candidate for your company if you want to go fast and public, and need to scale quickly," I become the top candidate for the job, instead of just another person with 20 years of experience."

White advises against providing a job description and instead requests a professional highlights reel.

"Negotiating higher pay requires a clear understanding of your value proposition, the ability to articulate the benefits the company will receive from hiring you, and the ability to demonstrate how you can solve their problems with your skills."

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