Personal Brand and the Resume: Determining Your Value Proposition

Resume Differentiation

In today's competitive job market, it's essential to distinguish yourself from all the other candidates out there, whether they are strong or weak, you've got to stand out from the pack. One of the most effective strategies for differentiating yourself is in crafting a personal brand message.

Personal Brand Message

Your personal brand simply communicates what makes you special to a prospective employer. The brand statement needs to by clear and concise. Your audience should be able to read it in 5 seconds or less. This will help them to understand it and retain it.

Value in Your Brand

One of the core elements in developing your brand is in the value you offer. Too many job seekers and resume writers focus on things like years of experience, education or certifications, and soft skills. The problem is that there is little that's unique about any of these things. For example, many candidates have 10-plus years of experience, a Bachelor's degree, and are dedicated and hard-working. No, those things are nice, but not always valuable to an employer.

Defining Value

So how do you determine your value? Start by thinking about the things you have done that others weren't able to do. Consider the following examples:

As a developer, you may have been able to solve a software defect that had been plaguing an enterprise application for years. As a project manager, you were brought in to take over failing projects and consistently got the team in order to meet the scope, milestones, and deliverables of the project. As a CIO, you were able to put together a new IT organizational model that helped to dramatically improve service delivery with a reduced cost structure.

The Value Proposition

All these things create value. In addition, they can all be used as a foundation for creating a strong value proposition. The developer can highlight their ability to solve intractable problems impacting global operations. The project manager can brand themselves as a project turnaround specialist. The CIO can position themselves as a change management and business transformation leader.

Many candidates worry about being pigeon-holed in the job search when they brand themselves specifically in this manner. The concern is that it limits their opportunities. Actually, what it really does is create a focused image of who they are and what they truly offer. It makes them something other than a commodity, which is important. Remember, commodity prices are set by the market demand and all are priced at the same level because all the products are the same. This approach tells the company that you're not the same at all. You're unique. You're valuable. You can command a higher compensation because you're worth it.

Stephen is the ITtechExec, a "Go To" Personal Branding Strategist for IT, engineering, manufacturing, telecommunications, call center, medical device, and other STEM/technical specialty professionals. By translating technical activities and leadership achievements into a clear, consistent message that's meaningful to business executives and recruiters, Stephen generates at least a 5x return on investment on job seeker resumes, cover letters, LinkedIn profiles, bios, and other online platforms. The ITtechExec offers a proprietary job search lifecycle management approach to guide technical candidates through brand strategy development, documentation, interviewing preparation, job search strategy development, and online brand management. Contact Stephen today at (866) 755-9800, http://www.ittechexec.com/, or stephen@ittechexec.com.

Read more ...

Personal Brand and the Resume: Determining Your Value Proposition

Resume Differentiation

In today's competitive job market, it's essential to distinguish yourself from all the other candidates out there, whether they are strong or weak, you've got to stand out from the pack. One of the most effective strategies for differentiating yourself is in crafting a personal brand message.

Personal Brand Message

Your personal brand simply communicates what makes you special to a prospective employer. The brand statement needs to by clear and concise. Your audience should be able to read it in 5 seconds or less. This will help them to understand it and retain it.

Value in Your Brand

One of the core elements in developing your brand is in the value you offer. Too many job seekers and resume writers focus on things like years of experience, education or certifications, and soft skills. The problem is that there is little that's unique about any of these things. For example, many candidates have 10-plus years of experience, a Bachelor's degree, and are dedicated and hard-working. No, those things are nice, but not always valuable to an employer.

Defining Value

So how do you determine your value? Start by thinking about the things you have done that others weren't able to do. Consider the following examples:

As a developer, you may have been able to solve a software defect that had been plaguing an enterprise application for years. As a project manager, you were brought in to take over failing projects and consistently got the team in order to meet the scope, milestones, and deliverables of the project. As a CIO, you were able to put together a new IT organizational model that helped to dramatically improve service delivery with a reduced cost structure.

The Value Proposition

All these things create value. In addition, they can all be used as a foundation for creating a strong value proposition. The developer can highlight their ability to solve intractable problems impacting global operations. The project manager can brand themselves as a project turnaround specialist. The CIO can position themselves as a change management and business transformation leader.

Many candidates worry about being pigeon-holed in the job search when they brand themselves specifically in this manner. The concern is that it limits their opportunities. Actually, what it really does is create a focused image of who they are and what they truly offer. It makes them something other than a commodity, which is important. Remember, commodity prices are set by the market demand and all are priced at the same level because all the products are the same. This approach tells the company that you're not the same at all. You're unique. You're valuable. You can command a higher compensation because you're worth it.

Stephen is the ITtechExec, a "Go To" Personal Branding Strategist for IT, engineering, manufacturing, telecommunications, call center, medical device, and other STEM/technical specialty professionals. By translating technical activities and leadership achievements into a clear, consistent message that's meaningful to business executives and recruiters, Stephen generates at least a 5x return on investment on job seeker resumes, cover letters, LinkedIn profiles, bios, and other online platforms. The ITtechExec offers a proprietary job search lifecycle management approach to guide technical candidates through brand strategy development, documentation, interviewing preparation, job search strategy development, and online brand management. Contact Stephen today at (866) 755-9800, http://www.ittechexec.com/, or stephen@ittechexec.com.

Read more ...

Changing Your Resume From a Chronological Obituary to a Dynamic Value Proposition Getting Interviews

JOB SEARCHING, NETWORKING/LinkedIN, & RESUME TIPS...That Get Interviews! Job Seekers can distinguish themselves from others & get the attention of hiring managers by converting the traditional "chronological obituary" resume format, to a powerful value proposition.

It is recommended that job seekers design a resume format that does not simply list tasks, duties, responsibilities, projects, & technical acronyms, much like anyone else's resume who has a similar job! One should highlight; Core Competencies/Areas of Expertise, Quantifiable Accomplishments (i.e. Productivity Improvements, Efficiencies, Cost Savings, Sales Increases, etc.), with as many percentages & dollars as possible. In other words, a resume that not only "tells" what has been done, but also "sells" the candidate's significant achievements & skills, versus others, to stand out from the crowd!

This 21st century approach has been proven to get the hiring manager's attention & get in the door for interviews, versus the traditional 19th century resume that most job seekers unfortunately utilize. Over 75% of jobs are filled by research & networking, namely the unadvertised job market. Thus, the challenge is how to identify the companies who are in the growth mode, management change mode, expansion mode, in growing & profitable industries, who are not necessarily advertising positions, where they often create, replace, or fill positions when candidates get their attention.

Employers & recruiters will search the Internet, especially LinkedIn, to find candidates for the unadvertised positions. Thus, it is essential that the candidate has an Internet presence, along with the appropriate keywords on the resume & LinkedIn profile, reflecting the position(s) desired, skills, achievements, & core competencies. LinkedIn Signal should be used to identify the people who are hiring & Word Cloud Technology should be used to more accurately identify the best keywords to include on your LinkedIn Profile, Resume, Cover Letter & elsewhere. Submitting relevant industry articles should also be done, to establish a more prominent & credible Internet presence when employers or recruiters Google you.

The job seeker must also do their homework, & then launch a strategic, proactive, & targeted marketing/networking (LinkedIn, etc.) campaign, with aggressive follow up. This approach is also more likely to help you identify the better "career" opportunities rather than having to settle for just a "job"! In summary, the search for a rewarding career must not only be a passive, reactive, chance-driven pursuit (e.g. posting a resume on the Internet). By utilizing a proactive networking-based campaign, better results & opportunities will be able to be identified, & sooner in most cases.

Robert P. Wolk, President
Top Career Coaches & Business Mentors
Career transition success coaches, LinkedIn & social media specialists, Six Figure Jobs resource. Franchising advisors.

Read more ...

Personal Brand and the Resume: Determining Your Value Proposition

Resume Differentiation

In today's competitive job market, it's essential to distinguish yourself from all the other candidates out there, whether they are strong or weak, you've got to stand out from the pack. One of the most effective strategies for differentiating yourself is in crafting a personal brand message.

Personal Brand Message

Your personal brand simply communicates what makes you special to a prospective employer. The brand statement needs to by clear and concise. Your audience should be able to read it in 5 seconds or less. This will help them to understand it and retain it.

Value in Your Brand

One of the core elements in developing your brand is in the value you offer. Too many job seekers and resume writers focus on things like years of experience, education or certifications, and soft skills. The problem is that there is little that's unique about any of these things. For example, many candidates have 10-plus years of experience, a Bachelor's degree, and are dedicated and hard-working. No, those things are nice, but not always valuable to an employer.

Defining Value

So how do you determine your value? Start by thinking about the things you have done that others weren't able to do. Consider the following examples:

As a developer, you may have been able to solve a software defect that had been plaguing an enterprise application for years. As a project manager, you were brought in to take over failing projects and consistently got the team in order to meet the scope, milestones, and deliverables of the project. As a CIO, you were able to put together a new IT organizational model that helped to dramatically improve service delivery with a reduced cost structure.

The Value Proposition

All these things create value. In addition, they can all be used as a foundation for creating a strong value proposition. The developer can highlight their ability to solve intractable problems impacting global operations. The project manager can brand themselves as a project turnaround specialist. The CIO can position themselves as a change management and business transformation leader.

Many candidates worry about being pigeon-holed in the job search when they brand themselves specifically in this manner. The concern is that it limits their opportunities. Actually, what it really does is create a focused image of who they are and what they truly offer. It makes them something other than a commodity, which is important. Remember, commodity prices are set by the market demand and all are priced at the same level because all the products are the same. This approach tells the company that you're not the same at all. You're unique. You're valuable. You can command a higher compensation because you're worth it.

Stephen is the ITtechExec, a "Go To" Personal Branding Strategist for IT, engineering, manufacturing, telecommunications, call center, medical device, and other STEM/technical specialty professionals. By translating technical activities and leadership achievements into a clear, consistent message that's meaningful to business executives and recruiters, Stephen generates at least a 5x return on investment on job seeker resumes, cover letters, LinkedIn profiles, bios, and other online platforms. The ITtechExec offers a proprietary job search lifecycle management approach to guide technical candidates through brand strategy development, documentation, interviewing preparation, job search strategy development, and online brand management. Contact Stephen today at (866) 755-9800, http://www.ittechexec.com/, or stephen@ittechexec.com.

Read more ...

Changing Your Resume From a Chronological Obituary to a Dynamic Value Proposition Getting Interviews

JOB SEARCHING, NETWORKING/LinkedIN, & RESUME TIPS...That Get Interviews! Job Seekers can distinguish themselves from others & get the attention of hiring managers by converting the traditional "chronological obituary" resume format, to a powerful value proposition.

It is recommended that job seekers design a resume format that does not simply list tasks, duties, responsibilities, projects, & technical acronyms, much like anyone else's resume who has a similar job! One should highlight; Core Competencies/Areas of Expertise, Quantifiable Accomplishments (i.e. Productivity Improvements, Efficiencies, Cost Savings, Sales Increases, etc.), with as many percentages & dollars as possible. In other words, a resume that not only "tells" what has been done, but also "sells" the candidate's significant achievements & skills, versus others, to stand out from the crowd!

This 21st century approach has been proven to get the hiring manager's attention & get in the door for interviews, versus the traditional 19th century resume that most job seekers unfortunately utilize. Over 75% of jobs are filled by research & networking, namely the unadvertised job market. Thus, the challenge is how to identify the companies who are in the growth mode, management change mode, expansion mode, in growing & profitable industries, who are not necessarily advertising positions, where they often create, replace, or fill positions when candidates get their attention.

Employers & recruiters will search the Internet, especially LinkedIn, to find candidates for the unadvertised positions. Thus, it is essential that the candidate has an Internet presence, along with the appropriate keywords on the resume & LinkedIn profile, reflecting the position(s) desired, skills, achievements, & core competencies. LinkedIn Signal should be used to identify the people who are hiring & Word Cloud Technology should be used to more accurately identify the best keywords to include on your LinkedIn Profile, Resume, Cover Letter & elsewhere. Submitting relevant industry articles should also be done, to establish a more prominent & credible Internet presence when employers or recruiters Google you.

The job seeker must also do their homework, & then launch a strategic, proactive, & targeted marketing/networking (LinkedIn, etc.) campaign, with aggressive follow up. This approach is also more likely to help you identify the better "career" opportunities rather than having to settle for just a "job"! In summary, the search for a rewarding career must not only be a passive, reactive, chance-driven pursuit (e.g. posting a resume on the Internet). By utilizing a proactive networking-based campaign, better results & opportunities will be able to be identified, & sooner in most cases.

Robert P. Wolk, President
Top Career Coaches & Business Mentors
Career transition success coaches, LinkedIn & social media specialists, Six Figure Jobs resource. Franchising advisors.

Read more ...