Strike up your brand to land job

We all know branding works. It’s why we some people insist on drinking Coke and not Pepsi while others will don Nike sneakers instead of Adidas. But branding is not just about getting you to buy something. Increasingly, people are using branding to sell themselves — to potential employers, that is.

“We need to think of ourselves as You Inc. We’re our own business; we’re our own company,” said Ed Hidalgo, director of World of Work at the Mobile Technology Center at University of San Diego, who also works as a career coach. “We need to understand our brand.”

But coming up with a brand for yourself can be an uncomfortable exercise, because it means not only understanding your strengths but then also promoting them. If you are unsure of where to start, here are some tips on how to brand you:

Take stock

Make a list — and check it more than twice — of all your positive attributes, including your education and your specialized skills as well as your soft, more interpersonal skills. Are you a team player? A whiz at Excel? A talented graphic artist? Put it on a list. But it’s not just about what you do well; it’s about how your unique attributes will ultimately benefit a potential employer, said Kolby Goodman, founder of thejobhuntr.com and a career coach.

“It’s about knowing how and where you provide value that is key,” Goodman said.

Craft your message

But a list alone won’t move the needle — you need to take that list and turn it into a compelling sales pitch. It could be as simple as “Experienced communications professional skilled at translating strategic goals into compelling stories.” But, Goodman said, don’t try to market yourself too much like a product. “If you are too short and succinct, it sounds cheesy.”

Advertise yourself

You can have the most elegant pitch in the world, but it won’t matter if you keep it to yourself. Goodman said to make sure that you update all your social media channels, especially LinkedIn, with your tailored message. Setting up your own website is also a great way to reinforce your brand.

But getting a positive message out also means you need to make sure that the web isn’t littered with questionable content. “You don’t want to be the person with one too many red cups in too many pictures,” Goodman said. To make sure your online image meshes with your message, a monthly Google search is in order.

“It’s like looking in the mirror before you go to work — but online,” Goodman said.

Jennifer Davies is the assistant dean of external affairs for UC San Diego Extension. She can be reached at jadavies@ucsd.edu.