Finding a job is a tough task during tough economic times – when companies are looking to cut costs by laying off workers and when millions are suddenly finding ways to put themselves in contention for employment. One way to stand out among this crowd of applicants is through personal branding, which has become important over the past twenty years and is uniquely important in the digital age.
Before, and for many decades, it was a task for celebrities such as athletes and movie stars to create a perfect personal image. In today’s world, you can boost both career and appeal by employing a well-crafted personal branding strategy. It helps to build trust, portray you as a professional in your field, and can gather a following which gives you an advantage in the market.
Some major components:
- Show Your Core Values
Your brand should communicate a strong set of values that differentiate you from your competitors. Human resources departments typically don’t hire based solely on credibility and creditworthiness: they also want to know whether the personality and attitude of candidates suits the company. Therefore, it is best to seek out potential employers with whom you share perspectives, bearing in mind that they are typically looking for empathy, curiosity, collaboration and teamwork skills. - Be Unique and Creative more business
A classic mistake many job seekers make is creating a resume that looks and reads similar to legions of other candidates. If you want to capture a recruiter’s attention, write one that is unique and that is ideally relevant to the position. Express your personality and creativity through this important background page about the role you are applying for and completing by packaging yourself as a suitable match. Highlight specific strengths and experiences of projects you’ve completed, but avoid the temptation to fill it with irrelevant achievements.
During the interview, you can give yourself another edge by using storytelling to enhance personal branding. Recount examples that highlight your strengths – perhaps how you solved a difficult problem, followed by how the resulting expertise will benefit the company.
- Determine a Target Audience and Pitch for it
One of the strengths of personal branding is that it can position you as an expert in a particular area. In harsh economic times, where unemployment is on the rise, one might assume that this specificity limits employment prospects. I’ve found that to be not quite true: it actually increases the likelihood. Not everyone can be your target audience, so it’s important to identify who and what, then pitch it. The more targeted a personal brand is, the higher the chances of getting the dream job and negotiating a favorable salary. Therefore, create messages that resonate with the right audience – create a magnetic and emotional connection between yourself and this potential employer. - Increase Online Following
Your personal branding strategy should include growing an online reputation – one that, like your resume, should not be forgettable or lack exclusivity. Investing in SEO can be a big help. Most jobs don’t make it to online boards; Instead, employers can hire from recommendations of course, but often search-engine potential candidates who match the required criteria. There are many ways you can boost SEO and grow together, such as creating a blog/vlog and sharing valuable content with readers that they can choose to share with others. Over time, and with enough effort, you can establish yourself among the experts in your field, and attract more job opportunities as a result. - Build a Network
A network can go a long way toward promoting a personal brand. The more people you know in your industry, the higher your chances of getting a job connection. Suggestions from people you know, combined with your personal branding, can open up opportunities you never dreamed of before. And even if you’re already well connected, there’s no harm in adding more people to the network. LinkedIn is certainly a good place to find connections, but don’t always forget the important personal component, such as trade fairs, industry seminars and meetings, and other events.
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