The discussion of the benefits of developing a personal brand when preparing for a behavioral interview led to some discussion here about the process of creating a personal brand statement – one that can lead to a career statement that will support you when you’re interviewing for a position. I want to go through the initial steps of building a personal brand statement, and look at how it translates into a career statement.
Let’s chat about Catherine, a recent college graduate with a degree in economics and a minor in marketing, as an example. Catherine was interested in finding a job in market research or brand marketing.
Catherine’s personality is memorable – she is enthusiastic, energetic, charming, and thoughtful. There are no hard edges on this girl, just a huge heart, an inquisitive mind, and a drive to perfection.
Because a personal brand encompasses skills, interests, attributes and values, we began by conducting a skills inventory, listing interests, evaluating personality attributes and discussing Catherine’s values.
Then, before we committed a brand definition to paper, I asked Catherine a question I always ask: what are the three things you want someone to remember about you? (NOTE: This is a key question that you can revisit whenever searching for inspiration!)
For Catherine, the answer was: honesty, intelligence and energy.
It turns out that the three things she most prized about herself don’t have anything to do with economics or marketing (this is often the case where real-life meets career), and aren’t directly applicable to a career statement. They are, however, the backbone of her personal brand, and with these words we were able to begin to construct a personal brand statement that differentiated Catherine from other candidates. Here’s her personal brand statement:
A driven, inquisitive, analytical and direct marketer
Here’s her personal brand statement evolved to a career statement:
A driven, inquisitive, and direct marketer skilled in quantitative analysis with the ability to identify the intersection of market needs, product and service attributes, and perceived value.
The next step Catherine and I will take is to create a list of attributes she is looking for in an employer, which she will use to evaluate opportunities for potential personality-culture fit. We will then run through a few mock interview scenarios to ensure Catherine’s presentation of herself is authentic, powerful and compelling for employers and beyond.
How would you set about creating your personal brand statement? Give it some thought.
Guest Blogger: Meghan M. Biro, founder of TalentCulture, is a globally-recognized expert in talent acquisition, creative personal and corporate branding and new media strategies that accelerate talent acquisition.
Photo Credit, lepiaf.geo
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