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Is a strong personal brand a benefit or a drawback for job candidates?
Recruiters, when you see someone who has a strong personal brand, do you consider that a benefit or a drawback to the candidate? Why?
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6 Answers
The main benefit of a strong personal brand in candidates: They know who they are and what they want.
This makes evaluation easier for the employer and for the candidate. This is a god thing even if the word, "brand" is not a great choice because it is associated with all types of marketing. Unfortunately, in the minds of some, "personal brand" is a license to spin and sell rather than an opportunity to show up as more one's self. There is a learning curve on this for most newbies.
Still, done rightly, and no matter what we call it, it is my preference that people show up having thought it though and understand how to talk about their knowledge, skills, experience, character, and value.
it kind of depends on a) whether or not the prospective employer sees that brand as a complement to theirs and b) whether or not the prospective employer is willing to let the candidate remain authentic to that brand after they've been hired.
I most certainly consider that a huge benefit. I often work with young job seekers at the various colleges, etc and I always stress the importance of creating a brand and selling that brand to potential employers.
It is a must for them in this tough economy as they must set themselves apart in order to win the job search battle. From an employers perspective I would much rather find a candidate strong in his/her brand, skills and beliefs as I feel this type of an individual will add much more value to our organization.
I hate the term "personal brand". People are not products; we're messy and we (hopefully) evolve over time. That being said, I do believe that individuals wanting to succeed in the job market must be able to clearly define their strengths and weaknesses, not only to potential employers, but first and foremost to themselves. This will allow both parties to make clearer choices as to whether or not to bring someone onboard.
That is going to depend on the job, company, hiring manager and job candidate. As it is an organization's objective to hire people who can solve its problems, the image that the job candidate has needs to be complementary with the problems he/she will need to remedy in the position. If the reputation (a.k.a. brand) the job candidate has developed is one that is based on substantive skills and experience that screams "I am a solutions provider," he/she will certainly stand a better chance of being offered the position vs. a reputation that doesn't speak to problem solving.
A strong personal brand is a benefit for job candidates because when a person has a defined brand, there are no secrets. When a candidate enters an interview, he or she is often asked to provide a quick two-minute elevator speech to explain what his or her strengths are, what makes him or her a fit for the open position, and why he or she should be considered as the best candidate for the job. When the person has a defined brand, there is consistency behind everything he or she says. Areas of expertise are clear, previous successes are clear, recommendations make sense, and above all, the individual can walk the walk and talk the talk. The individual is the CEO of his or her own brand and can easily articulate what he or she brings to the table. How can that not be a benefit?
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