Chances are, you’ve heard the term “personal brand” at least a few times since you started looking for a job. But the question is, what exactly is a personal brand – and why does it even matter?
In theory, employers should only care about whether or not you can do a job. They should look at your education and work history.
The entire process should be straight forward, right? Although the logic seems to make sense, you’d be wrong if you expect the process to work this way.
In reality, there are many people who can do the same job. Just ask a friend who’s a hiring manager. How many applications did they receive for the last position they posted? A local non-profit recently shared with me that within two days of posting one job, they received more than 200 resumes. The staff became so overwhelmed with the volume of applications that they cutoff the deadline early. And, of the volume of candidates who applied, more than just one or two could have done the job.
This level of competition forces you to up your game. You need to stand out from the crowd. And how do you do that? By refining your personal brand.
Your personal brand is made up of all the things that reflect upon you during the interview process. The list of components includes:
- What you wear
- Your elevator pitch
- Your resume
- Your cover letter
- Your online presence, including LinkedIn
It can even include simple details like how you shake hands, how you speak, or whether or not you make eye contact.
As you can see, many of these things may be disconnected from whether or not you can “do the job,” but they give an employer an overall impression of you.
Before you begin your search, spend some time refining these pieces and you’ll find your job search success will increase.
If you’re located in the Memphis area and you’d like to learn more, you’re invited to attend a “Building Your Personal Brand” workshop I will be presenting at Christian Brothers University in Buckman Hall’s Spain Auditorium next week. It will help you to prepare for the upcoming Multicultural Career Expo. It’s free and open to the public. It will be held on Tuesday, February 24th at 6 PM. I hope to see you there! To learn more, visit www.CareerExpoMemphis.com.
I hope these tips have helped you. Visit CopelandCoaching.com to find more tips to improve your job search. If I can be of assistance to you, don’t hesitate to reach out to me here.
Also, be sure to subscribe to my Copeland Coaching Podcast on Apple Podcasts and Stitcher where I discuss career advice every Tuesday! If you’ve already heard the podcast and enjoy it, please consider leaving a review in Apple Podcasts or Stitcher.
Happy hunting!
Angela Copeland
