Incorporate Your Brand In The Resume

One of the features that has been prominent in the last few years for job seekers is defining themselves though a professional brand. The brand refers to the skills and values that an applicant brings to the workplace as an individual. Much like products seen at a grocery store the brand is used to distinguish a job seeker from other candidates. It shows employers what you can bring to them to ensure success as an employee.  The professional brand should not only reflect what you can bring that makes an immediate impact but also what long term features you can contribute to the hiring authority's productivity. There are ways that your personal brand can be inserted into a resume that conveys the message and gets you noticed.

1. Make A Statement. In a targeted resume, the job title being sought is listed first. This should be folowed by a statement of the benefits you bring to the company and why. It is started with an action verb and uses career related statements. For example if seeking a job as a media salesperson, the position sought would be followed with a statement like:"Poised to bring exceptional sales and revenue through relationship building and  persistent record of acheivement".

2. Support Your Brand. Your initial statement sets the tone for your brand. You can sustain this through consistent messaging in your resume. A Career Highlights or Performace Profile section should contain references to acheivements with previous employers that add value to you. This could be activities that helped bring in revenue or mitigated losses for previous employersthat are tangible and easily identifiable. Job desriptions should also be written to reflect your branding statement.

3. Consistent References Your references may or may not be included in the resume. However, they should be individuals that will support your acheivements and help identify who you are as an individual. Make sure you select references that speak well of you and can recognize what you did for their organization. Utilize people who know your standards and principles and how these can be brought to benefit potential employers.

Developing a professional brand may not happen immediately. It may be a continual process of seeing what works and what does not to make it clear and consistent. Just as we develop in our professions, our brand will progress in relation to it.