Selling the 'Brand of You'

 You don’t need a marketing degree to know anything about personal brand. But you should know that everything about how you conduct yourself – from your social media posts to your attitude at work – can be a major factor in your jobs search. Essentially, you are your own advertising. Think of those giant billboards for McDonalds or the slick and glossy Audi TV ads. Everything about your demeanour and digital footprint are the personal brand equivalent of mass advertising. How you dress for an interview; if you’re late to work; how often you network; what you have to say on LinkedIn; how you interact with colleagues … All of this is all part of establishing your personal brand. So, if you go through that list and it doesn’t look promising, it’s time to undergo a rebrand. You need to transform from Opal Fruits to Starburst. Personal brand and marketing is something you shouldn’t put off – you should be presenting the very best version of yourself to the world of work at all times. Even if you are in an entry level role, wherein you feel quite junior, the more senior members of the company will know who you are. If they pass you on reception every day, and you’re slumped over the desk not answering a ringing phone, they will no doubt remark on this behaviour to their colleagues or associates. Don’t let someone else negatively network for you. Get out there and get your name spoken for all the right reasons. Selling your ‘brand’ revolves around a few simple questions: How do you want employers to think of you? Who is the target market for your message? Would you hire you? Once you have answered these, you can start to think about social media presence, making positive changes in work and starting to network either online or in person. Think of it this way: Would rather store your hard-earned savings in a bank that has a plethora of five star trust ratings and glowing praise all round or a bank that consistently hits the headlines for all the wrong reasons? Whilst it can seem uncouth to boast about yourself, if you’ve proven yourself to be a trustworthy employee, learn how to talk about it. Whatever your key skills, values and strengths are, you have to learn to market them well. Start by creating or updating your LinkedIn profile. You can network online by joining in discussion, sharing articles or even writing your own blog posts. You can also network in person by attending events or reaching out to potential mentors or recruiters for industry advice and guidance. The important thing to remember is that – whether it's online or in person – you must always come across as a valuable asset. You should always be seen as someone companies would love to hire. If you would like to speak to me about your job search, I’d be happy to discuss your CV and all of the roles I currently have available. Click here to see my details and get in touch.