Pack a punch: Learn to package yourself well for brand recall

David Ogilvy once defined “brand” as an “intangible sum of a product’s attributes” which may include its packaging, track record and the manner in which it is advertised. It won’t perhaps be an exaggeration if we apply this concept of brand to the way a person goes about job hunting.

A jobseeker can consider himself or herself a unique brand, say experts. The brand can comprise a winning combination of a jobseeker’s skills, education, work experience, vision and other attributes. And this brand needs to be advertised well. In other words, it has to be a promising brand for employers — it has to demonstrate that it can add value to a company and meet its requirements.

In a rapidly changing corporate world where companies have to constantly re-organise themselves to meet shifting market demands, the power of branding cannot be underestimated. To stay afloat, individuals need to get an edge over their peers. Similarly, with the job market around the world getting choppier with each passing day, building a brand that is specifically tailored to the needs of potential employers can help a job hunter differentiate himself or herself from competitors.

A recent survey conducted by Careerbuilder.com, a global career portal, showed that more than 70 per cent of recruiters or HR personnel primarily look for résumés and cover letters that meet the requirements of positions they are hiring for.

“It would perhaps be better if we call it ‘value proposition’. In the job market, it’s a two-way traffic — what value an employer can offer to a jobseeker and vice versa,” says B.P. Agrawal, chairman, ABC Consultants, one of the leading recruitment houses in the country.

In marketing or business terms, a value proposition is basically a statement on the part of, say, a corporate brand that aims to convince a prospective consumer that a particular product will add more value to his or her life than other products. Similarly, to land a job, a candidate has to put forth an “appealing” value proposition.

So, what should be an ideal starting point? It should begin with a thorough research on a company’s background, say consultants. A candidate has to convince recruiters that he or she is conversant with such aspects of the company as its financial performance and competitive advantage in the market.

“Identify every possible keyword an employer uses for an open position and prepare your CV accordingly. If, for instance, you have worked for 10 to 12 years, don’t include everything. Only include information that is relevant to an employer’s needs,” advises Swapnil Tripathi, vice-president, operations and consumer services, Naukri.com.

“You need to understand why you were selected from among the hundreds who had applied. A jobseeker should understand the brand of the employer and identify how best he can deliver,” says Dibyendu Paul of Jetking, a training institute for IT professionals that deals with placements.

Agrawal suggests a SWOT (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats) analysis. “Preparedness is the key. You should drop hints that you are aware of the company’s strengths and weaknesses. All a jobseeker needs to do is look up a company’s website,” he says. “Try to ask intelligent questions about the company during an interview,” he adds.

“Sometimes, during your research, a company may not seem very different from its competitors, but you have to keep probing. Eventually, if you keep peeling away the leaves on the artichoke, you will get to know a few things about the company that will help differentiate,” says Paul.

The second step in making oneself relevant to prospective employers is to launch an effective “ad campaign” for your brand, say counsellors. Just analyse how your skills and experience can be useful to recruiters who are your target audience. Your CV and cover letter should be highlight these aspects.

There are some basic points that a jobseeker must keep in mind while building his or her brand — self-analysis is imperative, honesty about achievements is desired and there should be a fair presentation of himself or herself. Plus, one should show a lot of enthusiasm and an eagerness to learn, says Agrawal.

“A résumé shouldn’t be cluttered. The content should be focused — it should show precisely what you are good at and what you are interested in,” advises Tripathi. “From the visual perspective, use short sentences with lots of bullet points. Avoid long paragraphs.”

“When a company conducts an interview, officials try to find out whether the candidate possesses the right skills. Among other things, aspirants should try to present their points clearly and concisely,” says Paul.

But there’s a note of caution too. One shouldn’t try to glamourise the concept of personal branding.

“A jobseeker should be aware of the fact that branding also has a negative connotation. Sometimes companies go overboard trying to sell their products with a pack of lies!”

Similarly, a jobseeker should not try to oversell himself or herself, warns Agrawal. “You have to be honest about your achievements.”

Finally, a jobseeker needs to be flexible, especially in times of economic meltdown when layoffs become the order of the day.

“You need to be open to all sectors. One shouldn’t aim for meaty positions only. If you need to scale down, do it,” says Subhashish Das, senior general manager, corporate HR and personnel, Berger Paints.

All in all, just as consumers are bombarded with tens of thousands of ads promoting all kinds of products, recruiters too are swamped by a huge number of CVs and cover letters. Do make sure your brand stands out in the crowd.