No matter your age, a candy store can be an exciting place to visit. There you’ll see row upon row of items with colourful packaging, full of tantalizing photos and phrases that tempt and delight the senses.
Have you ever thought about yourself as a wonderfully-wrapped piece of candy, waiting to be picked off the shelf?
When you are in career transition, and equally so when you are employed, you need to stimulate attention and attract the interest of both hiring managers and the ATS (automated tracking) resume systems that are so prevalent today.
Each product in the candy store has its own brand image and logo, and we remember these packages just as well as the taste of the confectionaries they contain. Corporations spend a lot of money on package research and design. Have you invested anything into shaping and sharing your personal brand – your unique promise of value?
Now before you head out to that candy store, stop and think about how you’re dressed. While no one has to be buttoned up in formal business attire 24/7/365, you must understand that you are always representing your brand – always.
Even when you’re dressed casually, you should be neatly groomed. You never know who you will run into while waiting at the checkout corner, or who will be reaching for the same candy bar off the shelf.
Be prepared to tell your career story to anyone, anytime, so that you can be confident in your diction and delivery. You want to strike a chord with an eloquent message, not fumble and mumble, leaving a negative opinion about exactly who you are, what you represent, and what you want to sell.
Take these steps so you are always ready for a conversation about what you are looking for next in your executive career. No matter who you meet, they will be able to picture you in that role and see that yours is the best product in the display case.