Have you ever been a brand-loyal customer? One who continuously purchases the same brand of merchandise regardless of how much it costs or where it is located? Or perhaps you have found yourself having pre-determined thoughts or feelings towards one brand versus another simply because of its brand name, how it is packaged, or even how it is displayed in the store? Well, this can be referred to as brand awareness and as crazy as it sounds, each one of us has our own “personal brand” that we showcase each and every day. This “personal brand” is vital to our success in both our personal and professional lives and can make a huge impact on our professional careers in particular.
There are a couple things that contribute to each person’s personal brand. It is important to know what these elements are, how to maximize the strengths of each and also, what to avoid to be successful in a professional career following your education. The following areas contribute to your personal brand: resume, social media – emphasis on blogs, personal appearance, and communication.
- Your resume is a snapshot of who you are and what you have done. This will be the foundation upon which employers decide if they want to hire you to join their company. In some cases, your resume can be the first impression that employers get of you, so you want it to be a good one!
- In general, it is important to have a clear, concise resume. Upon first glance, this will convey your organizational skills.
- Be sure to keep your resume to one page, two at the most. If you need two pages, make it front and back for ease of exchange with potential employers.
- Keep your font style and size simple, consistent, and easy to read.
- For content, make sure your name, address and contact information is conveyed prominently at the top of your resume.
- List your clinical experience or work history that relates to the position you are seeking starting with your current or most recent position. Ensure you include details about each position and any skills or accomplishments that you achieved along the way.
- Summarize your education starting with the highest degree and follow it with any relevant honors, awards, or society and organizational involvement that you may have.
Utilizing bullet points, just as I did for this blog, can help with clarity for the reader. Always make sure to proof read! After proofing the document yourself, have at least one other qualified individual make sure your spelling and grammar are in check.
- Social media is all the rage these days – we can’t get enough of it! It is important to keep your professional career in mind when making decisions about your social media presence. Your social media presence is not only viewed by your friends and family, but also your potential employers and even your patients someday. Overall, here are a couple key points to ensure you are maintaining a professional image and “desirable brand” on social media:
- When posting on social media, ask yourself if you would feel comfortable sharing those thoughts or pictures with your boss or a patient. My rule of thumb is to consider whether or not I would want my grandma to see it.
- Pay close attention to spelling and grammar – there is no quicker way to lose credibility and be regarded as unprofessional.
- Keep up-to-date on your friends’ posts and comments that affect you – hide any friends’ comments or information that seem inappropriate, only link, follow or become friends with those you know and trust, and ensure your Facebook settings allow you to approve anything that is requested to be posted to your timeline.
Focusing on blogs in particular, thanks to the American Institute of Medical Sciences and Education I found this great article that may be helpful as you dive into a job search and seek out a successful career.
Check it out to learn some great advice on blogging and how much of an impact it can have on medical students who are soon-to-be medical professionals!
- Finally, personal appearance and communication add the finishing touches to your “personal brand”. Once again, you want to ensure that you are conveying a professional and confident message to potential employers. A common standard is to always dress one level above the job you are applying for. For example, if the dress code of the position is business casual, dress business professional for the interview. This showcases not only your professionalism, but your genuine interest in the company and career opportunity. In the case of phone or Skype interviews, you will want to dress for success because although you may not think so, the effect it has on your mindset and confidence will be evident to the employer on the other end of the line through the tone of your voice. This brings us to communication. Both verbal and non-verbal communication are extremely important throughout your job search and interview process. Here are a couple tips regarding communication in order to showcase your professionalism and confidence in an interview:
- Start strong – avoid being hesitant or unsure about what you are doing. Talk first to initiate conversation right away.
- Make eye contact – this relates to the nonverbal side of communication. Avoid looking up, down, or off to the sides – it may convey the message that you are lacking interest or even not telling the truth.
- Have a firm handshake – once again, this relates to being confident. Nobody enjoys a half-hearted, limp handshake.
- Be friendly and smile! Avoid negativity or sarcasm. People like nice people and it will make them look forward to working with you.
So there you have it, your resume, social media presence, personal appearance, and communication skills are all influential factors that ultimately comprise your very own “personal brand” that employers make a purchase decision on. After all, in the realm of a job search and the interview process, making positive first impressions is one major key to success. Ensuring your first impression is well-rounded throughout each component of your “personal brand” will boost your chances of landing that dream job. Good luck!
