Brand Management is a concept widely discussed in the business world. Companies invest a great deal of time and money into managing their brands. We can learn from this marketing strategy when it comes to managing our own, personal “brand” while looking to make a career move.
The purpose of Brand Management is to increase the perceived value of a product or of a brand. How a brand is managed can help it to stand out among competitors. It usually takes many years to establish a reputable brand, and regular maintenance is required to keep that brand at the top of its game. Once it has been well-established, however, the results can be enormously profitable.
When applying for a new job or looking to make a career move, it’s helpful to think about the concept of Brand Management and apply it to ourselves. We spend many years establishing our “brand” through education, internships, volunteer work, interactions with instructors, coworkers, and managers, and the skills we develop through our work history. Because we are constantly adding to our experiences, our brand will need regular updating as well.
Help yourself build a reputable “brand” and stand out from your competition with the following tips:
- Carefully plan out and proofread your resume. Use a consistent voice and formatting, and double-check for correct mechanics such as spelling, punctuation and grammar.
- If you are using a job search site such as CareerBuilder or Indeed, make sure that your resume has uploaded correctly and still looks the way you would like; sometimes these websites do not recognize certain fonts or graphics, and this can make your resume a jumbled mess.
- Avoid long blocks of unbroken text. Keep job descriptions brief, using keywords that are relevant to your field. This helps search engines find you when employers are looking to fill a position!
- Update your work history regularly, with accurate dates and job titles, current contact information and location. Accuracy and integrity are vital!
- If you are contacted by a potential employer, always follow through with professionalism and courtesy. You may not be interested in the position they are offering, but you never know what might come up at that same company, or who that hiring manager might know. Making a great first impression, even when declining an offer, can go a long way to finding you the position that is just right for you.
- If you land an interview, make sure to dress appropriately for the position to which you are applying, whether it’s an in-person or virtual interview. For virtual or phone interviews, demonstrate that you’ve made it a priority by having a quiet location that is free of interruptions with a secure and reliable internet or phone connection.
With careful preparation and regular maintenance, you can soon have your “brand” working for you, helping you rise above the competition to land the career of your dreams.