Don't fall to the bottom of the pile!

Imagine this. You’re standing in a room full of candy bars. All of them are brand new, never been available on the market before. It is actually pretty overwhelming. You’re hungry and you need a candy bar, but they all look the same so you can’t decide. Suddenly, you notice a really appealing label, so you go to look closer. The label is really well executed and clearly says that this candy bar is basically the best thing ever. Skeptical – yet interested – you take a quick bite and discover that the contents back up the well-crafted label. You’re hooked.

I’m not just writing this because I’m hungry. I’m writing this because this is a metaphorical example of personal branding. As I’m sure you’ve already surmised, college graduates are the new candy bars and the hungry protagonist is a hiring organization.

As a new college graduate, you need to make yourself stand out. If you’re really awesome at photography and media relations, say so! Everyone in the industry has different talents, different things to bring to the table. Without pointing out your unique identifying factors, you basically look the same as everyone else. Even though you can’t physically see the heaps of resumes that look exactly like yours, they are out there and they sure don’t scream “PICK ME!” quite the way a unique and confident resume might.

I actually had a good talk with Abby (the PR manager here at Weidert and my extremely helpful supervisor/mentor) the other day about all this, so please don’t assume that I magically came up with all this on my own. My own resume fell victim to a few pitfalls and didn’t relay the concept of “Melanie” quite as much as I’d have liked.

The first thing you have to do is figure out your personal brand. Pick one or two things that really showcase your greatest skills. As Abby told me, don’t be a “jack of all trades but master of none.” This is a crucial step that shouldn’t be done in a hurry. If you’re unsure where to start, try looking at branding on a more objective level. What sort of clothes do you wear? Why do you wear them? Price, maybe? Style? Your personal brand can be looked at the same way. Why should someone hire you over someone else? Perhaps you’re a good editor, or maybe you have a really good handle on social media. Amp it up: now is not the time to be modest.

Once you’ve narrowed that down, you have to make sure every single thing you send out exudes the essence of your personal brand. Resume. Cover letter. Portfolio. Business cards. Social media. Make it consistent and make it clear: this is who I am.

Don’t be the last lonely candy bar at the bottom of the pile. It’s all about selling yourself these days and if you are the complacent, blah-looking wrapper you might find yourself sitting there for a long while. Make yourself a have-to-have item and you will practically fly off the shelf.
I’m done with the corny candy metaphors.

Do any of you have any tips or success stories with personal branding? Questions maybe? Don’t be afraid to ask!