When you're going for a job interview, people can often get distracted by selling their academic and work achievements. And even though these are the foundation of your interview and are often key to securing interviews, candidates can sometimes forget that interviews are an opportunity to promote your personal brand to a potential employer. Companies want to understand your personal brand and often if it is strong and well portrayed, you can distinguish yourself from other interviewees. It’s how you want to be perceived in the professional world and how you want to be remembered by a company whether it be online, on your CV or in person.
1. CV
Your CV is the first place where potential employers or recruiters can understand your personal brand. If you have a neat, well- structured CV showcasing your suitability to a role in an organised manner, then chances are you will come across a lot better than a candidate who has a poorly laid out CV that is dated. Your CV is where you introduce your personal brand to an employer, so it is important that you highlight all of your academic and personal achievements in this space. It should be an accurate representation of your brand. Always update your CV on a regular basis to include new work experiences, personal achievements and skills. Include a short personal statement at the very beginning to further sell your personal brand to potential employers. Make sure to include a link to your LinkedIn account on your CV so employers can explore your personal brand further. Dedicating time to editing and tailoring your CV is so important as it is the one piece of material that can determine your chances for an interview. A potential interviewer or recruiter should be able to glance at your CV and immediately get an understanding of your persona and suitability for a role but you also need to make sure it is attractive enough to make them want to take a second glance at it.
2. Online
Being active online (in the correct manner) is also an opportunity to introduce your personal brand to a company. Your LinkedIn page can be just as important as your CV, especially for recruitment companies who may source talent via LinkedIn. They will look for suitable profiles and if they think you would suit the role, they will contact you. Your LinkedIn needs to clearly portray your personal brand. LinkedIn operates like a social network in many ways and being present and active on the site can increase your employment opportunities. Make sure that you include a tag line, a photo and fill in your about section. Avoid using an inappropriate photo of yourself, keep it professional and only showcase on LinkedIn what you want your potential employer to see. A professional picture and a strong tagline will immediately portray a good personal brand. Make sure you include all of your experience on LinkedIn and don’t be afraid to elaborate on your duties and skills you acquired during your work experiences and education. The content on your LinkedIn should portray the type of professional you want employers to see. Engage and share content on your feed, show interest in content about your field or industry. Aside from LinkedIn, online can be a good place to further sell your personal brand. Employers may also search for you on social networking sites or google so avoid posting anything on these sites that may promote a bad personal brand. Google yourself regularly to see what employers can see and always ensure your personal brand comes through.
3. Interview
If you reach the interview stage, you have successfully portrayed your professional brand to potential employees. But the interview is the first place they will get to meet you in person and the interview stage is what usually can make or break your application. By reading your CV and visiting your online sites, potential employers probably have a good sense of who you are and what your personal brand is. But the interview is where you get to bring everything you have sold online and on your CV to life. Showcase your personal brand from the very beginning with a firm handshake, eye contact and a positive mindset. Let your personal brand guide you through the interview by answering questions as they are presented on your CV. Have a positive attitude and good energy. The purpose of developing your personal brand is so that a potential employer may find it is a good fit and offer you the role so it is important to portray it throughout the interview. After the interview, don’t be afraid to ask questions. The interviewer may want to know about you, but you also want to know about the company. This shows the interviewer that you are interested and confident. When you’re leaving, thank the interview panel and shake their hands, leaving them with a good impression and your personal brand will be ingrained in them.
Developing your personal brand can be effective in securing your future job! Spend time tailoring your CV and LinkedIn and make sure you know what you want to portray to employers. If you’re confident in your personal brand, then your next company will be too!
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