Professional Branding

As a professional resume writer, I encourage job seekers to incorporate professional branding in their marketing toolkit. Often, I am asked, “What is professional branding?" Well, consider this scenario. Have you ever examined the branding differences between the traditional soft drinks, Diet Coke and Diet Pepsi? Although each beverage has similarities, such as the use of artificial sweetener and low-calories, the packaging, marketing, and reputation to deliver satisfaction and results is the branding difference. Employers want to know what makes you different from other candidates as well as what value and difference you will bring to their organization. Your mission is to communicate your professional brand on all of your marketing materials, including your resume, cover letter, and career biography. To be effective, ensure that your professional brand is relevant to the position you are seeking. Incorporate key phrases that engage the interest of your target audience and speak to their bottom line. You will significantly increase your chances of getting an interview, a job offer or even a promotion. Most job seekers know the importance of presenting some level of accomplishment on their marketing materials. However, done correctly, your professional brand will highlight the benefits you and ONLY you could offer and will demonstrate the return on investment to prospective employers. Your professional brand includes your communication, the way you dress, your consistency in delivering results, how you handle pressure and much more. So, take some time to discover your professional uniqueness and lead with it every chance you get!