Have you established your personal brand? Are you putting your best foot forward?
While a firm handshake and professional attire are key to making a good first impression, in todays day and age that’s just not enough. Thanks to social media, our personal brands are in the spotlight every day for everyone to see – it’s up to you to make it count.
Brands aren’t just for products anymore, anyone can create a personal brand. What is it that you want to be known for? How do you want to define yourself in the workspace while also incorporating the personal elements that make you who you are?
When searching for a job, the goal is to make yourself stand out from the crowd in order to be selected for a job interview. Once you land the interview, you can sell yourself to the and explain what makes you an exceptional candidate. Before that happens, what’s on your CV and cover letter is the pitch that will get you picked.
One of the best ways to do that is to brand yourself so you’re a close match for the jobs you’re targeting.
Branding or rebranding is deciding what professional path you’re on and tailoring your online presence, identity and expertise to match that brand.
What makes you, you? What makes you stand out from the crowd? Do you have an online blog, or unique skillset? Think of what you can bring to the table and how this will benefit a company.
A successful brand can go a long way with self-promotion, expressing loyalty, and offering consistency in the quality of the services you provide.
Google yourself and see what pops up before you start making any changes. You first need to see how the current information about you reflects your professional identity in order to ensure that it clearly reflects where you are headed. When branding yourself personally and professionally, assume that anything you post online (social media) may be viewed by the anyone, including potential employers. Think of what a hiring manager would want to see in terms of your achievements and aspiration. And remember, your reputation is your best asset.
A branding statement is a short, catchy statement that highlights why you are a suitable candidate for a job. By writing a branding statement it can help you underline what you want to accomplish in the next phase of your career.
Rebranding your career shouldn’t be a once-off. Times change, technology changes, the economy changes, skills that are in demand change over time, and most people’s career goals change along the way. In fact, the average person changes jobs 10 - 15 times over their career.
As you gain additional work experience, further your studies or learn new skills, add them to your CV and LinkedIn profile. Update your CV job descriptions as you change direction so that they reflect where you are going, as well as where you’ve been.
Rebranding is a work in progress. By slowly making tweaks and changes, you’ll be able to use your brand successfully to boost your career.
Think of yourself as a product and your employer is the customer. Branding yourself allows you to market your skills to meet the customer’s needs. No matter which stage of your career you are in, it is important to create a unique brand for yourself to stay marketable by potential employers. This gives you more opportunities for mobility both within and outside of your organisation.
Making a memorable first impression in-person is no longer the only way to establish your brand. Social media has enabled anyone and everyone to become known. Who you are and how you come across are really important to being successful, making lasting impressions and enabling you to get the job you want.
Sources:
https://us.aicpa.org/interestareas/youngcpanetwork/resources/career/fivetipstobrandingyourself
https://www.thebalancecareers.com/how-to-brand-yourself-for-the-job-you-want-4583968
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