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How To Sell Your Personal Brand

Written by: Allison Webster - StarMetroland Media
Published on: Oct 15, 2019

When you think of branding, you probably think about companies that use logos, specific colour schemes, design choices and targeted messaging that’s, well, on-brand.

When a person is “on-brand,” it tends to mean that their personal values and esthetic choices align with an idea, company, product or service. Believe it or not, how a company chooses to brand itself is very deliberate. From a consumer perspective, an organization might suddenly change its logo, but in reality, it was a long, well-thought out process. For a person, you already know who you are as a fully formed human being, but what’s tricky is conveying that.

A personal brand, just like a company’s brand, is designed to reflect the goals and values of an individual. You might have an idea of what your personal brand is but lack the words to express it to potential employers. While you might think that your resume speaks for itself, demonstrating that your personal brand aligns well with the company you’re hoping to work for can help you to rise up as a top-tier candidate.

How to sell your personal brand

1.    Resume

The words in your resume matter, of course, but the layout and style can help you convey your message. Your font choices really can be an extension of your personal brand. Typography is an art that’s used by marketing and advertising professionals all the time. Since you’re marketing yourself with your resume, it applies here, too.

For example, a traditional serif font (Times New Roman, for example) works well if you want to convey that you are trustworthy, experienced and knowledgeable. A sans serif font, which is clean and modern-looking, can convey that you’re a no-nonsense type of person who likes to keep it simple. It can show that you’re honest and sensible.

Script fonts, which should only ever be used for your name at the top, convey elegance and creativity. But be mindful that you’re selecting a script typeface that’s legible, as your name is your brand, and if a potential employer can’t read it, you’re out.

How you choose to lay out your resume can help you sell your personal brand. For creative types applying for creative jobs, adding a dash of colour is permissible these days. The order that you present your credentials in matters, too. Some modern resume templates include a sidebar where applicants can add bulleted lists of their core skills. Some resumes look almost like infographics.

While these resume styles seem neat and innovative, they will work for you only if they align with both your personal brand and the company’s. If you’re applying for a job in business or finance, a simpler, more traditional resume will probably represent you best in terms of your work persona.

2.    Authenticity

You cannot be someone you’re not. It’s like trying to fit a square peg into a round hole. When you’re trying to convince an employer that you’re the right fit, you have to be the best version of yourself.

If you truly believe that your values, skills and personality match well and you speak honestly and passionately about these things, the hiring manager will be able to sense your sincerity.

If you try to rebrand yourself on the fly into someone you think they want, it might come off as a performance rather than a demonstration of your unique abilities. You basically have to be as advertised – no tricks and no gimmicks.

The bottom line is that your personal brand represents who you are and the energy you bring to the table. You want to convince the interviewer that you are exactly the type of person the company needs.

Look for jobs that align with your personal brand on LocalWork.ca If you’re looking for a career where you can use your skills and contribute in a meaningful way, you have to start your search and see what comes.