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By
Michelle Reese, Tribune, April 3, 2005
Do
you know what your strengths, values and core skills
are? What image do you portray to others?
This
knowledge may be key to finding your next job, according
to career experts.
Personal
branding - making a name for yourself in an interview
or in the business world - can make the difference
between you and the another job- or promotion candidate,
said Kathy Sweeney, owner of Senior Executive Resumes
and a Certified Professional Resume Writer and Credentialed
Career Master.
"Think
about some of the top brands in the world: Coca Cola,
BMW, Volvo and Starbucks. Each promises something
unique to their particular customers. They have a
target market and they know what is important to that
target market," Sweeney said. "The same should be
true when you are searching for a job. You are marketing
a product and that product is you. But what do you
bring to an employer that is unique from other candidates
vying for the same position?"
Research
is vital to this step in the job search, Sweeney said.
By discovering more information about a company's
product, services and core values, you can highlight
your abilities that match those during talks with
potential employers or bosses. Examine a company's
Web site or press releases to learn more.
"Once
you have this information, you need to determine what
qualities you possess that relate to their core values
or specific experience that is a good match to their
business. Take your newly gathered information and
formulate stories about specific contributions you
have made to your current employer," Sweeney said.
But
be cautious not to share too many details that might
be used by a hiring company without actually hiring
you, she said.
To
help establish yourself above your competition, especially
during a job interview, it's important to show what
you can bring to a company, said Donna Tucker, professional
resume writer and owner of CareerPRO Resume Center
in Phoenix. As a job candidate, you could write a
marketing plan to market yourself. This may include
highlights of your career, Tucker said.
"What
have you done that is remarkable? What do you do that
brings measurable value? What have you accomplished
that you can justifiably brag about?" she said. "Develop
a marketing plan for the brand 'you' with strategies
to boost you to the next level. Expand your network,
volunteer for special projects, participate in professional
development opportunities. Become a leader of your
peers - get noticed and get ahead."
Pamela
Roe Ehlers, vice president with American Career Executives,
said how you present yourself in an interview can
also add to the image you portray. Just as companies
work to project a message through branding and appearance
of their company, they will look to employees to mirror
what they're hoping to convey to the public, she said.
"They
realize that the image they project is a message.
And, that message is tied to building credibility,
or detracting from it," she said.
Your
appearance in an interview can help establish the
message you as a future employee are creating, Ehlers
said. First impressions are most important. It's important
to pay attention to the details: from grooming to
dress, as well as your clothing. Ehlers suggests dressing
for the career you desire, "even if it is several
salary grades above where you are.
When
planning to enter a profession, take time to research
how people dress in specific industries and roles."
Details, from nails to hair and makeup, need to be
polished and conservative. And remember Mom's advice,
Ehlers said. "Stand up straight - don't slouch. Smile,
even when you are on the phone. Convey vitality, energy
and interest in others through voice and motion. Wear
a positive attitude, and display good manners and
courtesy."
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