With so much noise swirling around out there about personal branding, you have to wonder if it’s all just chatter.
What’s the big deal anyway and why is branding so important for your executive resume and job search?
Fact is, you already have a personal brand.
Everyone who comes in contact with you knows what it is. Their opinion of you and inclination to want to connect with you is driven by your brand which is, in essence, your reputation.
Once people get to know you even a little, they perceive what things, good or bad, they can always rely on you to deliver. Even if you haven’t considered it, your brand precedes you and defines the value you offer and whether people want to hire you or do business with you.
Have you paid attention to what those around you have to say about you? How do they introduce you to someone new?
Doesn’t it make sense to fortify and build on the good stuff — your strengths, vitality, passions, and drivers? If your personal brand is evident to everyone else you know, why not hone it and put it to use for you?
Maybe you’re great at getting right to the root cause of a problem and coming up with a cost-effective solution. There’s one of your brand attributes.
Digging a little deeper, maybe you know just how to take that solution you’ve created, translate it into tangible actions, filter down the fix to your team, and turn around an issue severely impeding corporate imperatives. Bingo, there’s another one of your core brand attributes.
This all speaks to the inherent power of personal branding and why you have to get it into your executive resume.
Take the time to clearly define how what you have to offer can make a difference and fulfill the needs of your next employer. Make your brand-fortified resume read like a how-to solutions list to hit home with hiring decision makers.