Before beginning your job search, you are probably already aware of the basics you need to get started. A resume, cover letter, and the answers to basic interview questions. Good to go, right? Definitely not. If you’re looking for your next dream job, you will need to stand out from the others. Knowing and being able to communicate your personal “brand” to potential employers is essential to make this happen.

Your brand is unique to you and communicates your skillset and personality to potential employers.You have your own personal brand when communicating what you are all about to potential employers. Your application, resume, social media profiles, and interviews help employers to get a sense of your “brand” to see if you are a right fit for the company. Here are three tips to help refine your personal brand.

Update Your Social Media Pages

Most potential employers will review at least one of your social media pages to get a more comprehensive picture of who you are. If your LinkedIn page hasn’t been updated since your last college internship, or your Facebook page contains less-than-professional pictures that can be viewed by anyone, you have a little bit of work to do. Polish your social media pages so that they reflect your personal brand. Remember, you have the ability to control the image you want employers to see.

Assess and Update Your Resume

Is your resume missing important details from a recent project you worked on? Does the design of your resume look average at best? Take an honest look at your current resume and edit where necessary. As with everything else, your resume will reflect who you are to potential employers. Everything from the spelling, grammar, and overall appearance communicates something about you.

Know Your “Elevator Pitch”

If you haven’t heard of the term before, an “elevator pitch” (as it relates to job interviews) is a succinct statement of who you are and what you are looking for in your next position. You may even be asked to fill something like this out on a job application prior to an interview. If you haven’t already, create your personal elevator pitch. Once created, recite it and know it well. When asked to provide this sort of pitch in an interview, providing a defined, clear answer will set your brand apart from the others.

About NextGen

NextGen is the brainchild of longtime telecom professionals with nearly 50 years of experience and millions of dollars in Telecom Recruiting Services. We focus on establishing long term relationships with our clients and candidates so we can recruit the best and the brightest in the telecom industry. This ‘quality over quantity’ approach is at the heart of everything we do and has resulted in successful job placements at Fortune 1000 firms worldwide.