Everyone has a unique negotiating style that when effectively used becomes your calling card in building healthy relationships. So often in business, professionals focus on their weak areas and less about the value they bring to the deal.

How does this apply to you when interviewing for a new position inside your organization or outside the company?

Interviewing for a new position provides you with an opportunity to connect the dots of your professional experience, formal education, and life skills. The ability to play to your strengths early in the process allows the interviewer to listen for the big picture, what you can deliver and less about your development or experience gaps.

The seven strength types below give you an idea of how to leverage them during your next job interview.

The Good Listener

You listen on multiple levels both for what the interviewer is saying, but for also what is missing from the conversation. This allows you to anticipate the needs of the interviewer and address informational gaps during the conversation. Good listeners guide the discussion in the direction where they can display their best qualities. Leveraging your listening skills allows you to remain within the interviewer's negotiable boundaries where you avoid the discomfort of charged language and "emotional hot buttons".

The Strategist

Strategic planning is your core strength. You are adept at seeing the big picture regardless of how many details people toss your way. You may not possess the superb listening skills of "The Good Listener"; however, you have the ability to take pieces of a negotiating conversation and connect-the-dots in a way that helps the interviewer see future possibilities with you at the helm.

The Effective Communicator

Adapting your communication style early in the interview builds rapport with others. Rapport is the "glue" of the bonding process and, although, a highly teachable skill, an effective communicator naturally mirrors their primary style to match that of others. Establishing rapport with the interviewer makes it easier for you to add the next building block--trust. Trust opens the door of possibilities for you and your counterpart. It is easier to imagine working with someone you trust than not trust.

The Team Builder

Team building comes in two "flavors"; people who build teams from the ground up and those who maintain the healthy environment of a team. Emotionally Intelligent project managers and team leads combine these strengths to achieve powerful results in the workplace. Whether you plan to interview for a manager's position or are looking to explore an individual contributor's role, play this negotiating card to the hilt during your interview. Team building is a valuable strength to possess in the business world, whether influencing cross-functional teams to support your ideas or persuading senior management to fund them; teaming skills can set you apart from the competition.

The Master of Details

Nothing gets by you in the way of details. Your strength lies in the ability to conduct effective research prior to the interview. You refer to the data and historical information to make projections and "what if" forecast scenarios during the interview. When used as a strategic tool, targeted information creates a comfort zone of knowledge for the interviewer and builds confidence in their eyes of your ability to deliver the goods.

The Solutions Guru

Others recognize you for your results-oriented approach to business, often referring to you as the master of implementations. You quickly home in on problems and see potential solutions while others scratch their heads about the issues. During your job interview, lead the interviewer through a "typical scenario" and the problem-solving process you use in finding a solution. Go to the head of the class by sharing the process you use for persuading others to support your recommended solutions.

The Quick Thinker

Your core strength lies in the ability to "think on your feet". You are capable of adapting your response where others might not even recognize that the situation has changed. The Quick Thinker is not the same as the "fast talker", someone interested in selling anything regardless of its value to the other person. Your focus is on creating value. Your skillful approach for drawing from the gold nuggets of learning and experience sets you apart from those who talk fast but do not have a lot to share.