#JobSearch: You are the #Brand; Your Skills are the #Product

By George Bernocco, CPRW

If you’ve ever tried to sell something to prospective buyers before, you may understand the concept of marketing. Trying to match what the buyers are looking for with the goods you have to offer. When you create a “Brand”, you are not only trying to match the buyer’s needs but you are trying to distinguish yourself and your merchandise from other vendors/products out there. Making your product stand out from the rest sells your product and thus creates a brand.

When we apply the concepts of marketing and creating a brand to job search, not much has changed. The product you are trying to sell is your skills. To create your brand essentially means that you get your brand name out into the market so that it can be found by interested parties. Word of mouth is a very popular marketing tool, which is why job search networking is crucial. The idea behind having a strong network is to have network contacts recommending your brand name product (your skills) to a prospective buyer (employer). By having more and more people discussing your product, your brand name has begun to develop a “presence”. By having a presence, you’ve become recognizable, memorable, relatable and authentic.

Let’s step back to think about some of the day to day items we purchase. There are some brands I prefer over others, and it depends upon my experiences with these brands. Commercials we see on television, or even before a YouTube video, are all about trying to make a company’s product real to you. When you are applying for work, you are on the business end of trying to make yourself real to a company. Interviews can be viewed as a live-action commercial, or “infomercial”, to the employer. Some commercials are more interesting and relatable than others, which is why we don’t buy everything that we see on TV.

So we’ve established network contacts that will also provide “word of mouth” recommendations about you. Now what is the next step to getting our brand out there? We can follow the business model of how companies get their name out there. Business cards, for example, sell a company’s product easily because they can be passed on to interested parties who have a reminder of their services. They are small little reminders about services and goods that are portable and easy to carry. Networking cards are identical to business cards and with the only difference being that you are the brand and your skills are the products being offered.

To take your brand development to the next level, technology has the potential to move your brand name through the world. Much like commercials have expanded from billboard ads to radio to television and now online videos, we must get our brand out there and up to date with current trends. The internet is an exceptional tool for you to utilize to get your name recognizable. As soon as you created any sort of profile that is visible to anyone else on the internet, you’ve started what we call a “digital presence”. Facebook, LinkedIn, a personal blog, Twitter, and much more can be all tied to your digital presence. You should select each social networking site carefully with the goal of controlling your digital presence. How you market yourself on these websites is imperative to your brand name. An employer wouldn’t hire an potential employee who has images of them doing drugs on Facebook much like you wouldn’t buy a car that catches fire in their commercial, nor would you probably trust the car-maker brand name. To sell your product, you must protect and maintain an “image” for your brand. In regards to your job search, your image should be professional, interesting and relevant.

Be aware of what may hurt your image when it comes to your digital presence. Much like a bad review at a restaurant can hurt its business; a negative search with your name can hurt your chances of getting a job. Your brand must be solid and dependable, which will reflect your product (the work you do).

Being a member of organizations and being published in relation to the work you do also assist with developing your brand. If your name is out there where employers can trace your work, you have successfully developed something that the potential employers can identify with. Just be aware that other information outside of your field could help or hurt. It is important to know what is out there regarding your product.

When you create your own brand and market your abilities as your product, you are answering the employer’s question: “Why should I hire you over the other candidates?” Identifying your strengths as brand name recognition will put you ahead of the candidates. In the end, the employer will select a brand (candidate) that is most in line with their goals and fits well with their corporate environment.

Job Search Planning

 

 

Success comes from hard work, and job search success takes planning.  When looking for your next position, ask yourself-

1.       Do I know what I want to do?  Can I do that here?  Do I need any further education or training to be qualified for this type of work?

This is a question only you can answer, but there are plenty of skills and interest assessment tools out there to help.  MySkillsMyFuture.org and MyNextMove.org can help get the ideas rolling if you are stuck.  Career counselors and workshops provided at local American Job Centers can also help you narrow down your choices.

Always compare your target occupation against Labor Market Information to see if that job is currently growing or if that position is popular in your area.  Some jobs are only available in major cities, so determining your target job can make you weigh a lot of factors.  Am I willing or capable of moving?  If I stay here, would I be happy to do another type of job?  Do I have the skills to do another type of job?

 If you need further education or training, there are many free online training programs sponsored by the American Job Centers, or see if local college or training programs are an option.  Depending on the career path, sometimes there is funding or assistance available for training.

 

2.      Who knows I am looking for work?

 Make sure your friends and family know you are looking.  When you speak with them, give them a brief overview of what you did and what you would like to do next.  If you’re open to different types of work, be specific.  Avoid saying you’d “Take anything,” because it is off-putting and defeats your purpose.  Saying you’re open to anything sounds like you’re not really focused on anything.  If you don’t know what you want, how can someone else properly refer you?  Keep in contact with your network and help them when you can so they can remember you if a fitting lead comes up.

Catching up with friends or family, going to an alumni or industry-related event, connecting with people through social media, or joining job search groups are just a few ways you can grow your network.  It may be difficult for shyer folks to “put yourself out there” but with research from the first step, knowing what you want may be a confidence boost on its own.  There are also lots of networking event ice breakers you can look up, but being friendly and helpful are always recommended.

 

3.     What am I using to market myself?

 Now that you know what you want to do, and you have researched the skills to take to do it (or are in a training program gaining the knowledge or experience needed,) you’ll need to develop some marketing materials.  Your resume is crucial, and will be supplemented by any other materials an employer can see or will receive.

If you’re applying to a position directly, be sure to optimize your materials with keywords so you make the match for the employer and show you are qualified for the job.

When posting your resume online such as on CT.jobs, be sure you title your resume something related to your field.  “Human Resources Manager” or “Results-Oriented Sales Representative” is better than “Tom Smith Resume” because the employer searches resumes on CT.jobs by keywords.

Searching job postings nationally will give you an array of keywords that are common across your target positions.  Save a list of these keywords so you can use them in context throughout your resume or application materials.

Resumes and application materials are supplemented by any online networking sites you have joined.  It is important to establish an online presence because many employers “Google” candidates prior to interviews.  In the same way that you do not want to be screened out for an improper Facebook photograph, you also want to be noticed for your positive contributions on the web.  Joining and engaging with other industry professionals on Twitter, Google+ or LinkedIn will reflect positively on you.  By default, Google will typically list these pages first if you actively use them and they are a great way to strengthen your reputation and positive image ever before any interview.

 

 

Targeting, Networking, and Marketing are essential for job search success.  Lay out a plan for yourself and create a list of realistic and manageable goals to complete these steps one at a time.  Like any activity, you get out of it what you put it.  Stay energized and motivated, and if you feel that negative self-talk is defeating your job search, disrupt your routine and try a new approach.  There are hundreds of ways to network and market yourself.  Finding what works for you and what makes the phone ring will take some planning and experimenting, but these tips should get you started.

Tell Me About Yourself

By George Bernocco, CPRW

No pressure, but the interview is what makes or breaks the job for you. You’ve completed a stellar cover letter and resume, now it’s time to meet face to face. There is always debate about which questions the employer will ask, which are more important, and what are the most difficult questions. There is no doubt that the employer called you in for one reason: To learn about you and what you can do for them. The question asking about who you are may come up, but even if somehow it doesn’t (unlikely), the interview itself is for the employer to figure you out. It’s your job to assist them in recognizing your potential. So how do you give out the right amount of information? How do you sell yourself, without selling yourself short? Where does your story end so it doesn’t go to long? Here are some thoughts you should consider before the interview:

Elevate Yourself

Imagine you are getting on an elevator with a recruiter. You have about 20 seconds before he gets off on his floor and you go your separate ways. What would you tell them to get their attention? You would definitely have to tell them what you’ve done, and what you are looking forward to doing. Maybe emphasize the most important skills you have, and then apply them to a potential position at their company. Finally you might need to end it with hoping to hear back from them, or contacting them to check in. All these components of an “Elevator Speech” answer the question “Tell me about yourself.”

 Script Yourself

At the interview you need to be prepared mentally. Bringing information to help you remember what to say can help. The best way to have information about some of the questions that will be asked is bringing a resume. Your resume should be stellar already because you are sitting there with it at the interview. Hopefully you have a Profile/Summary or maybe an Objective on it. These sections are the answers, much like taking a test with the answer sheet right next to you. You may not want to repeat verbatim what you wrote, but you definitely can follow the profile or objective’s example of a short snapshot into your life. If you do not have the profile or objective, consider the whole resume as the answer to the question. It’s your job to perform a brief review during the interview.

Summarize Yourself

Much like your stellar resume, you want to try to avoid too much information. No one wants a PowerPoint presentation with paragraphs on it, no human resource manager wants to read a five page resume and no recruiter wants to listen to an entire life story. Write out your answer to the question if you do not already have a Profile on your resume. Practice your answer with family, friends, and/or career specialists. Remember to focus on your career, experience, skills and career objectives.

Inform Yourself

Every industry has its own vocabulary. Whether you’re in Accounting or Zoology, your industry focuses on certain words that others in your industry will comprehend. When you apply for a job within your industry, it is important to demonstrate what you know by how you describe what you’ve done. Using industry keywords in your response, called “jargon”, will show the employer in more than one way that you are knowledgeable about your career. Research your jargon, and that can be as simple as pulling up job postings for your industry and looking for keywords.

Assure Yourself

An interview is not the time to be modest. There needs to be self confidence that you are elite in your field. Interviewers are trained in spotting those who demonstrate they could do the job. The recruitment process is much easier for the recruiter when they interview someone who demonstrates self-assurance. René Descartes once wrote “I think therefore I am” which is entirely true for an interview. If you believe you are the person for the job, the interviewer will believe it too.

Sell Yourself

Once all the above are true, you now have the tools to sell yourself. You are the product; the company is the consumer. Why should they “purchase” you? What makes you stand out from the rest? All these can lead into different interview questions, but it is important to incorporate the answers into telling the employer about you. When you successfully sell yourself, you are now the front runner. The employer now knows who you are, and therefore you’ve answered their question while capturing their interest.