How to Create a Unique Personal Brand as a Job Seeker

Building a unique personal brand is crucial for standing out to recruiters and employers in job applications, interviews, and beyond. Your personal brand is the combination of your skills, qualifications, values, and personality. However, creating a unique brand requires more than just writing a personal brand statement on your resume. 

Before you apply for your next job, learn how to develop a standout personal brand and guarantee your application is remembered.

Why Is Personal Branding Important as an Applicant?

Your personal brand defines your professional identity and what makes you unique as a job candidate. Some recruiters place significant importance on personal branding when making hiring decisions.

Crafting a unique personal brand can boost your professional credibility. It can help expand your network and improve your chances of being considered for jobs and other exciting opportunities, regardless of where you are in your career journey. 

In this digital age, anyone can easily establish an online presence. LinkedIn, YouTube, custom websites, and social media are just some of the platforms you can use to showcase your unique personality and expertise.

You can also highlight your brand in your resume. Including a personal brand statement can help you stand out and generate more interest in your application.

What Are Personal Brand Attributes?

Personal brand attributes are your unique skills, qualities, and characteristics that distinguish you from others. They demonstrate that you’re more than just a job title – you’re a real person with great potential. 

To identify your own brand attributes, reflect on your experiences, motivations, interests, and feedback from former colleagues. For example, a software developer’s top brand attributes may include JavaScript training, attention to detail, and a passion for problem-solving.

Here are a few examples of personal brand attributes:

• Subject matter expertise
• Consistency
• Openness and transparency
• Resiliency
• Resourcefulness

How to Write a Personal Brand Statement

A personal brand statement summarizes your past accomplishments and draws attention to the unique attributes that set you apart from other applicants. 

Remember to keep your brand statement short and sweet, typically one to two sentences in length. Write a concise description of your unique qualities and skills, making sure it authentically reflects your true self and resonates with the employers.

Beyond resumes, you can incorporate your personal brand statement into your website (if you have one), social media profiles, and answers to interview questions.

Examples of personal brand statements include:

• Legal Accountant at John Doe Law Firm | BS in Accounting | Accountant Award 2023 | I “track the numbers” to determine long-term impacts and suggest the best financial solutions possible.
• As a passionate software developer with JavaScript certifications, I don’t just develop software – I refine it. I optimize websites and software to make them easier to access, navigate, and interact with.
• I’m Josh, aka the Marketing Expert. With a BA in marketing, over a decade of work experience, and a passion for digital advertising, I can determine the best path forward for every campaign. And let’s not forget my proficiency in graphic design. 

How to Promote & Communicate Your Unique Personal Brand

Your personal brand should be consistent across mediums, from your resume and interview responses to your online presence. Follow these strategies to develop a distinct personal brand. 

Create a Website 

Your website should effectively communicate your brand identity. This may include elements such as:

• Personal brand statement
• Expertise
• Education
• Training and certifications
• Work experience
• Hobbies and interests
• Personality

Integrating search engine optimization (SEO) strategies, such as using industry-relevant keywords, can boost your presence on Google and other sites. This way, recruiters can easily find you and understand your value proposition.

Increase Your Online Presence

Leverage digital platforms to boost your visibility and implement branding strategies that align with your industry and goals. You can start by optimizing your LinkedIn profile. Most recruiters use LinkedIn to assess the suitability of their candidates. Make sure your profile picture, bio, and work history are up to date. Posting content on the platform can also help optimize your profile. Once your LinkedIn is in order, you can move on to other platforms: 

• Twitter/X
• Facebook
• Instagram
• Pinterest
• TikTok
• YouTube

Create Short-Form Videos

Short-form videos are among the most popular types of content on social media and can help you establish a robust brand presence. Plus, you become instantly memorable when potential employers can see and hear you in a video. 

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Prepare Interview Responses

Job interviews are the perfect opportunity to make a lasting impression on recruiters and employers beyond what’s written in your application. As such, they’re prime moments to promote your personal brand. However, achieving this goes beyond simply reiterating your brand statement and skills. 

Give yourself ample time before the interview to prepare your elevator pitch and reflect on your unique attributes. Review your resume and application to double-check what you’ve already shared with recruiters. Then, consider other qualities and details about you that will help you stand out – both as an experienced professional and as a person. 

A strategy for effectively conveying your personal brand in interviews is to prepare your answers to potential questions. Research the most common interview questions in your industry and consider how you can use them to highlight your brand. Even simple “strengths and weaknesses” questions can be aligned with your personal brand.

Practice Your Elevator Pitch

Though most professionals don’t think about pitching themselves, it happens every time you introduce yourself to someone new. Practicing how you talk about yourself and your professional background ensures you can skillfully promote your personal brand. The next time a recruiter, CEO, or industry peer asks you about yourself, you’ll already have the perfect, polished answer at the tip of your tongue. 

Learn How to Stand Out to Employers

In today’s competitive job market, developing a unique personal brand has never been more important. A clearly defined and unique personal brand can leave a lasting impact on employers, increasing your chances of securing valuable opportunities.

That said, creating and refining your personal brand requires commitment and continuous learning. Visit iHire’s Resource Center for job seekers for more insights.