SIU PRSSA Southern Illinois University Public Relations Student Society of America
Related Articles
Standing out in a job interview can seem like a daunting task when there is a multitude of applicants. This is especially true in 2021 when there is a surplus of applicants. One could easily feel overwhelmed and anxious about securing a job. This is where personal branding comes in. It is essential for someone to brand themselves before an interview, so they have a better chance in landing their dream role. What is personal branding? Let’s discuss.
The first and most crucial aspect of branding oneself is to know who you are and to stick to that. This may seem like an obvious tip but in reality, many feel as though they need to mold themselves to the job description when in reality the job should fit their experience and expertise. The company should be excited to higher you as a person and not solely just a resume. This will also allow for deeper connections within interviews and a better chance to move onto the next step in the process.
The next tip to personal branding is dress to impress. Like many say, dress for the job you want, not the job you have. This will also allow the interviewee to feel more confident when heading into the meeting. Along with this, it is also important to recognize your body language. If you dress to impress but do not appear confident when shaking hands, an interviewer will notice this. Maintain eye contact, use correct facial expressions, and be present in the interview.
Finally, when self-branding, it is important to step out of your comfort zone. If you aren’t hearing back from your dream company, then do something about it. Start cold-messaging employees of that company on LinkedIn. Set up as many virtual coffee informational meetings as you can because when you begin to start networking, it makes a huge difference. This may feel awkward at first, but one meeting with the right person just might secure that interview someone was looking for. As mentioned earlier, due to COVID, there are a surplus of candidates for each position. By taking a step out of your comfort zone and not fearing rejection, it is much easier to climb the application ladder.
Creating a brand for oneself can be difficult at first, there will be many trials and errors to see what works best for someone. Something that may allow someone to exceed could potentially not be the solution for someone else. Remember to stay true to your own brand and good things will follow in due time.
