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Think
about some of the top brands in the world: Coca-Cola,
BMW, Volvo, and Starbucks. They use branding principles
to establish or maintain a presence in the marketplace.
Each promises something uniquely appealing to their
particular customers. They have a target market and
they know what is important to their audience.
The
same marketing principles can be applied when searching
for a job. More job seekers are beginning to understand
the value of "personal branding" in their job seeking
efforts. The only difference from corporate branding
is the product; the product is the individual job
seeker.
"Job
seekers need to discover what unique talents and core
values they bring to an employer," stated Kathy Sweeney,
Certified Professional Resume Writer and president
of Senior Executive Resumes in Phoenix, Arizona. "They
need to determine specifically what differentiates
them from other candidates vying for the same position."
Sweeney
says that job seekers need to do research on different
companies, to investigate the company's core values,
what products or services are offered and the target
market segment they serve. This information can be
found on most company websites in their "press release"
or "about us" sections. Once a job search candidate
has this information, they are better able to determine
what qualities they possess or specific experience
they have that is a good match to a specific company.
Sweeney
advises job seekers to take this newly gathered information
and formulate stories about specific contributions
they have made to their employers. However, she recommends
being guarded when providing answers on specific tactics
to solve the potential employer’s current problems.
"Be
cautious about what you share with a prospective employer
regarding the contributions you would make to their
company,” warns Sweeney. “They could take your ideas
and utilize them without hiring you. Past performance
usually equals future performance, so your previous
contributions should be enough for a prospective employer
to assess your capabilities.”
Sweeney
states the key to showcasing your “unique promise
of value” to an employer is interviewing well. She
says that candidates typically have challenges in
formulating stories that truly target the needs of
the potential employer.
“When
I conduct interview coaching with my clients, I find
that they usually have a hard time putting themselves
on the ‘other side of the desk’, the side of the hiring
authority. Job seekers have to do that in order to
determine what is most important to potential employers,”
declared Sweeney. “When I teach clients how to answer
interview questions, using their experiences to showcase
their talents, it helps them to get a better perspective
on the needs of the potential employer. They are then
able to accurately pinpoint their value as it fits
into the company’s big picture.”
Sweeney
concludes that job seekers should do an honest assessment
of their strengths. This self analysis is vital, as
is pursuing feedback from colleagues, friends and
family members. How a job seeker views him/herself
might be quite different than the perception of other
people. She suggests listening with an open mind to
the feedback, weighing it objectively, focusing on
strengths and then making the necessary changes to
overcome weaknesses.
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