How Branding Yourself Can Revitalize Your Job Search
In today’s job market and increasingly digitalized world, branding yourself is one of the best things you can do to help revitalize your job search. Just like businesses have their own branding that helps customers identify them, you can create your own branding to help you stand out from other job candidates.
Below are three ways you can brand yourself with examples and tips to get started.
1. Create A Personal Statement and Stick To It
What skills do you feel are your strongest? Do you have an area of expertise? What big picture goal do you want to accomplish through your work?
Answer these questions and use them to create a personal mission statement. By doing this, you will be able to offer employers a condensed “story” about who you are as a person and professional.
An example for a freelance writer:
What skills do you feel are your strongest?
→ self-motivated, creative, hardworking.
Do you have an area of expertise?
→ yes, I specialize in writing about education/professional development.
What big picture goal do you want to accomplish through your work?
→ I want to create work that makes others feel empowered in their professional lives.
Turning that into a statement:
I am a freelance writer who specializes in topics related to education and professional development. Self-motivated, creative, and hardworking, I aim to use writing as a means to empower others in their professional lives.
Now that you have your statement…
Use this statement in your resume, portfolio, and even LinkedIn profile. Don’t be afraid to switch up the wording from time to time or elaborate further where and when you see fit.
Basically, use your personal statement to lay the foundation for your personal brand. This will show employers that you aren’t trying to be a jack of all trades, but rather, are an expert in certain areas.
2. Don’t Overlook Visuals
When creating your resume and cover letter, the information they include isn’t the only thing that matters. These documents should also be eye-catching with a clean design that if possible, promotes you and your personal brand.
If you choose a certain header font for your resume, use the same one for your cover letter. The same goes for any colors and design elements you use. This shows employers you’re detail-oriented and consistent.
It also gives them visual components to help identify you after they go back through their list of applicants. If you need help getting started, try creating a mood board on Pinterest with images, fonts, and designs that inspire you and show off who you are.
For example:
The design for my personal resume and cover letter matches the colors I use for my blog and freelance website. Additionally, the font for my website logo and resume/cover letter header are the same.
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3. Establish An Online Presence
Nowadays, we all have social media accounts, but do you have an online presence dedicated just to your professional life? If not, it might be time to consider creating a website or blog. When you’re applying to a job, having a site to direct employers back to can help show them what you’re capable of.
Think of it like this—your resume and cover letter tell them what you can do, but a website or blog gives them evidence. Not to mention, it shows that you’re willing to go above and beyond to establish yourself and your work.
You can also link this to a social media platform like Instagram, where you can further establish and share your work (aka, your brand).
Getting Started
These days, there are tons of ways to establish an online presence. Whether you should have a website, blog, or just a social media account is up to you and what you think best suits your industry.
For websites and blogs, I’d recommend Wix or Squarespace, but WordPress is pretty user-friendly, too. For social media, check out Pinterest for an endless list of content ideas.
The point of having an online presence is just to have another place for your work and experiences to live. It’s another way of saying:
I’m a professional, and this is who I am and what I have to offer.
Related:
How to Use Canva to Create a Stand Out LinkedIn Profile Banner
Tips For LinkedIn Banners That Don’t Make You Look Narcissistic
5 Tips To Elevating Your LinkedIn Profile Headline To Get Noticed Fast
Meet The Writer!
Hello! My name is Lea Rose and I am an avid writer with a love for all things international. I recently graduated from UNC Charlotte with degrees in Communication Studies as well as Dance Performance and hope to be a full time travel writer one day. My writing primarily focuses on the ways places and experience shape us as individuals. Please feel free to check out my blog or connect with me through LinkedIn or Instagram @writtenworldblog.
