Frustrated by job hunting?

In this day and age, it’s easy to imagine yourself being invisible as you launch your resume into the unknown. However, your resume is part of your branding and you need to be careful how it is branding before potentially damaging your career. I’ve compiled a list of the top ways to properly sell your brand.

For starters, the first presentation future employers have of you is your resume. Be Consistent – If your resume falls into the same hands more than once, your resume will stand out since the hiring manager has seen your resume before. Hiring managers review hundreds of resumes a day, so you need to stand out to make a good impression. Other things to remember when creating your resume include the following:

The most important thing to remember is clarity. Hiring managers need to know at a glance if you have the skills they’re looking for. Have a short section at the top that reflects your highlights and skills. You will need to bullet each sentence, long paragraphs are skimmed, and do not record your skills with the hiring manager.

· Keep the same font throughout your resume. The easiest I have found to read is Arial 11, with my name and contact information centered at the top of the first page in Arial 14 in bold.

Be very clear in your work experience regarding company name, title, and dates of employment. Employers are looking for longevity and not short terms, so you want the hiring manager to see this section clearly. If you are a contractor, it is imperative to list your clients as this will show that you were actually an employed contractor. Left to the imagination, hiring managers will fear the worst, in all cases.

Second, remember that you are a brand. You must decide what you are selling and stand behind it. This is who you are for on social media, on your resume, on job boards, blogs, etc. If you switch your product from one platform to another, you are not building a strong brand. Hiring managers review these different platforms as part of the interview process. If you are a chameleon, you will forget what you are selling, which will damage your brand and your chances of employment.

Another item to consider is making sure you are competitive in the salary you are advertising. This is important whether it is too high or too low; too low and you are underestimating its value, too high and it is being overlooked. You need to know the price of your product. Glassdoor.com is a great place to research what your salary should be; just enter your title and location to get the average salaries for your respective field.

Lastly, if you don’t have a LinkedIn profile, you should do so immediately. This site advertises your professional merits free of charge. Take care to create an error-free profile (especially grammatical errors!). Be sure to use the correct title for the industry in which you seek to advance your career. For example, if you are a CRA (Clinical Research Associate), make sure this title is clear on your profile. If a hiring manager is confused by what you are offering, they may not use one of the free emails that LinkedIn offers. You shouldn’t make your personal email address visible here, but if you want to create a separate email account for hiring managers to contact you, now is a good time for you to make that email address is visible on LinkedIn, making it easy to contact you. LinkedIn is a great place to connect with future employers.

Focus your career on the place you are trying to get to and do it step by step and before you know it, you will be on top. Your brand, your business – stay consistent and be fruitful! With these tips, you are on your way to success!

Invest in a successful life,

Angela Roberts