Do you know what personal brand is all about?
During competitive recruitment processes, employers are not only trying to figure out whether you have the right skill set for the job but also whether your personality fits well with their team. To stand out, you need to illustrate why you would be the best option. In other words, you need to market yourself!
Throughout interviews, networking events, and online pages, presenting yourself to capture hiring managers’ attention is crucial. So, if you are wondering ‘how do I do that?’, look no further as we have pulled together below some helpful tips on how to market yourself.
- Brand Yourself
Employers are trying to determine whether your skills, personality, experience, and attitude would match their working environment. This is where your brand comes in. Think of it as an image you project to the world that captures your overall abilities and personality. Your brand will be the first impression employers have of you and should therefore be consistent throughout social media, events, online portfolio, and during the interview.
While building your personal brand, consider using a professional photo in your business-related pages/material. In addition, you can be more recognisable by using a logo and colour combination on cards, resumes, and emails. Also, a personal branding statement, including your skills, aims, and experience, would be a nice touch.
- Online Presence Before Physical Presence
When you have established your personal brand, you can move forward and show your personality and skills to future employers. One area you should focus on is your online presence. Build an online profile that includes all of your professional information and what interests you most in the field. You can achieve this by sharing articles with relevant industry news, following companies you like and keeping an overall positive attitude. Don’t hesitate to include your work.
Having said that, do not miss the Linkedln boat! Linkedin is currently the top professional online network and if you are not already on it, do so immediately. It is a valuable source for industry professionals and the best means to portray yourself online.
- Networking, networking, networking
Networking in the job search is of great importance. To get started, make a list of all the businesses that would interest you and keep searching for events you would like to attend. And then, attend as many as you can from that range, so you can meet professionals like yourself and push your brand. Do not underestimate the power of networking, as it is just as important as your knowledge of any given field.
Many professionals are intimidated by the idea of networking. It requires a lot of time and may not feel like it is bearing fruit for a while. However, keep at it and follow up with emails or connect with professionals on Linkedin. The importance of networking lies in building relationships that will be useful in your future. That is, after all, what you are looking for!
- The Meet-Cute Elevator Pitch
You may be wondering what an elevator pitch is and why it is so important. We have all watched that scene from a movie where the protagonist gets to share just an elevator ride with their mentor or person of interest, and they have to present to them what they want and impress them in just that short minute. Think of it like that, only less stressful and more frequent. An elevator pitch is a brief description of who you are, and you can use it in any work-related socialising.
A good elevator pitch allows you to communicate your skills, experience, and goals in under a minute. It should include who you are, your background/skills and why they should consider you as a candidate; it should grab their attention and encourage them to contact you. It sounds like a lot, but this is something you should have prepared, personalised, and practised beforehand.
- Why You?
When applying for a job, you already know that several other suitable candidates will also be applying. To differentiate yourself, you need to show how your abilities can be utilised for the particular company and its needs.
A good way of getting around that is to follow the example of marketing teams that perform a SWOT analysis to determine what would set them apart from the competition and what problems they might face in selling their product. Analyse your critical thinking, interpersonal, and technical skills as well as soft and hard skills. Which of these skills is your strongest? What tasks do you perform better at? What weaknesses do you face? Remember why you chose this career and what you found inspiring about it. Demonstrate this during the interview using examples and different likely scenarios.
Part of being a successful professional is having a clear view of your strengths and weaknesses. How else will you be able to promote yourself?
- About the company
Employers actively seek people who have put in the time and effort to learn a thing or two about their business, products, and services. Therefore, researching the company you are interviewing for is essential. Take a look at their online presence, reviews, ads, and social media pages. Having a clear understanding of who they are and what they care about can help you figure out their goals and impress them. It will also help you determine whether they are a company you would want to work with and whether you share any of their values.
- Look the part
It goes without saying that a professional dress code will help you market yourself better. Be confident and precise with your attire by paying attention to details. Your appearance is the first thing anyone notices when meeting you. Maintain this look in interviews as well as networking events. Our knowledge and abilities are the most important thing, but the way we carry ourselves, our clothing, and our overall energy are tell-tale signs of who we are.
At first, trying to ‘sell’ yourself can feel intimidating and a little uncomfortable, but always keep in mind that you are the only one who can make the world see what your best qualities are.
Here at GBU-Europe, we focus on helping students develop their soft and hard skills during their degree, which they can then use in the real world.
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