Tuesday, January 31, 2012

Personal Branding Rules

Communicating your value to an employer is half the battle of getting a nonprofit job.  That's why personal branding is a handy tool for job seekers.

The success of your personal branding can make or break your job search.  If you do it right, employers will see the value you could bring to their organization.  If you don't, they will be left wondering why they should bring you into the fold.  Your brand should leave employers with no doubt about your abilities.  It should encompass the types of problems you solve, how you solve them, and the situations in which you excel.

How do you go about spreading your personal brand?  Here are some rules to get started:
  • Your personal brand is not about you.  Kind of blows your mind, right?  You should be conveying to the employer how your skills will be of value to the organization.
  • Your brand should change with every new opportunity you are presented.  The strengths that you emphasize must change based on your audience.  For example, you would highlight your people skills at an organization that works extensively with the local community.
  • It's not what you want to hear, but you're going to have to do all the heavy lifting.  A nonprofit doesn't have time to figure out your value.  It's up to you to communicate your worth clearly and concisely.  If it takes more than one reading to see your value, you will have to go back to the drawing board.

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