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For years, companies have been spending millions of dollars to create a positive image and a brand name preferred by consumers. Why not apply the same concept to your job search? The same marketing techniques that compel a consumer to choose Crest over Colgate also apply in hiring.

One of the best ways to communicate your value is by creating an image or ‘brand’ for yourself that is recognizable and desirable to prospective employers. Most jobseekers are not familiar with the concept of a career brand. Developing one doesn’t require hiring a PR firm, just some thoughtful introspection, and the rewards are plentiful. According to Susan Britton Whitcomb, author of Interview Magic (JIST, 2005), the benefits of marketing yourself are numerous. A compelling career brand can:

• Make you more attractive to employers, even when there are no formal job openings;
• Control what interviewers remember most about you;
• Lower the barriers to being hired by creating trust and conveying value; and
• Differentiate you from the competition.

Consider what happens when you don’t convey a strong image. Potential employers will determine your ‘brand’ for you, and it might not be the one you intended to project.

Essential Ingredients

How do you begin creating your own career brand? Ask yourself two questions: What do I want to be known for? What kind of employer do I want to connect with? The answers capture the essence of what branding is all about: image and connection. Think of your brand as a uniquely individual image used to attract employers who share your values and skills.

Once you have determined what image and connection best suits you, you can ‘wear’ this brand through both verbal and visual means. Verbal branding includes sound bites, success stories, and thoughtful written communication to potential employers. Visual branding is accomplished through your actions, attitude and attire. Focus on your verbal and visual communication to develop a strong overall message dispersed throughout your interactions with potential employers.

To develop your brand, begin by creating sound bites. "Sound bites, like success stories, will help you feel prepared to meet any networking or interview situation," advises Whitcomb. Your sound bites should be short, no more than two minutes in length, and can be used when you need to convey your unique strengths, articulate your goals, or offer a brief, value-packed introduction of yourself. Once you are comfortable using your sound bites and success stories, consider your written correspondence. Do your resume and cover letters reflect the successes you wish to share? You may need to adjust correspondence to effectively portray your unique brand.

Image and Dress

Next evaluate and improve your visual branding. Concentrate on how your visuals – image and dress – can create positive chemistry with prospective employers. "In the hiring game, when two candidates have equal skills and one has an image that fits better with the company, the candidate with the right chemistry will get the job," states Whitcomb. To create a positive chemistry, have confidence to look and act the part. Image is about behaving in a manner consistent with how you want people to perceive you.

Your new career brand will help you conduct a successful job search. With established sound bites and a confident presence, you will be able to ace any interview and land a job best suited for you. Dale Carnegie once stated, "There are four ways, and only four ways, in which we have contact with the world. We are evaluated and classified by these four contacts: what we do, how we look, what we say, and how we say it." By creating your own unique brand, you are prepared to make a lasting impression in all four areas of contact.