You are your most valuable brand

Posted on April 28th, 2008 by Kay B. Day

My daughter is about to finish graduate school, and we often enjoy socializing with her friends. Some of them are looking for employment, and it’s always interesting to me how many people beginning a career overlook a simple strategy—that of personal branding. This is important no matter what sort of job you’re after. I recall a friend of hers who was looking for a part-time job here in Jacksonville where he was going to college. Despite being talented and having a solid work history, he wasn’t getting positive results. So what do you do when the door won’t open no matter how hard you shove?

After hearing him talk about repeated rejections one day, I couldn’t stand it any longer. I explained to him that he couldn’t go to a job interview in shorts and sandals. He looked at me incredulously. “But this is a beach town!”

“But you’re not selling them on the beach,” I said. I told him he had to sell himself to the employer who would probably take a dim view of his clothing. “This is also a corporate town,” I reminded him. I also offered to write him a letter of personal introduction. I knew this young man well and respected his skills. I told him several such letters would up his chances. I further recommended he write his own letter. “Tell the employer what you plan to do for his company,” I said. “Explain what sets you apart from others who want the same job you’re aiming for. Give him an idea of the benefits you will bring to the table.” I told him to keep it short—three paragraphs at most. I also suggested tweaking his resume to highlight skills useful in the job he was seeking. If you’re applying as a server at an upscale restaurant, the fact you once worked with a lawn service is useful but not completely relevant. I suggested he briefly list that employment in the interest of accuracy, but that he expand his description of the work he did with a high end restaurant in his former home town. He took my advice and he got the job he wanted.

All the advice I gave my daughter’s friend applies, whether you’re looking for part-time work or an entry level position that can lead to a successful career.

One thing I often mention to young career seekers involves social media. If you join and participate in a social media site, be sure your page settings are at the least set to private and/or friends only, and even then, be careful. If you set your page availability to the general public, a prospective employer is not going to be excited at a photo of you doing jello shots or at a posting describing exactly how wasted you got after the Gator Bowl. That wildly comic YouTube video you made of you and your friends doing karaoke might make for great late Friday night viewing with friends, but a prospective employer will likely not be amused. Apply what I call the ‘mom rule.’ If the behavior would freak out your mom, it will definitely not please the person who has the power to offer you a job.

By showing an employer the potential benefits you bring to the company, you are pitching him on your brand. You are your most valuable brand. If you’re seeking employment, it will be to your great advantage to carefully present that brand to the public and to the marketplace with clear, non-controversial and attractive messaging.

[Photo of the Occupational Handbook courtesy of the US Dept. of Labor. Visit this government site for information on everything from online security to wage comparison charts.]

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