1. Be captivating and convincing: Grab the listener's attention from the start. Use strong verbs, specific examples, and a confident tone to showcase your enthusiasm and passion.
2. Connect experiences to skills: Don't just list your past experiences; explain how they shaped your skills and abilities. Did your volunteer work develop your communication skills? Did your part-time job teach you problem-solving? Weave these connections into your narrative.
3. Highlight your skillset: Be clear and concise when describing your skills, tailoring them to the specific job you're applying for. Use keywords from the job description and demonstrate how your skills meet employer needs.
4. Express genuine interest: Don't fake enthusiasm. Conduct research about the company and the position, and genuinely express your interest in the work they do. This shows initiative and genuine passion.
5. Quantify your achievements: Instead of simply saying you were "involved" in a project, use numbers and specific examples to showcase the impact you made. Did you increase sales by 10%? Did you lead a team of volunteers to raise $2,000 for charity? Quantifying your achievements adds credibility and demonstrates your effectiveness.
6. Showcase well-roundedness and curiosity: While highlighting your professional skills is important, also demonstrate your well-rounded personality. Mention extracurricular activities, hobbies, or personal projects that showcase your curiosity, dedication, and diverse interests.
Remember, your brand is a continuous work in progress. As you gain new experiences and develop further, your story will evolve. By following these tips and consistently refining your personal narrative, you'll be well on your way to landing that dream job and achieving your career goals.
Frequently Asked Questions
UMass Career Advisors and websites offer you self-assessment tools to help reflect on your story in preparation for building your personal brand.
Experiential opportunities that fit your skills and interests—campus jobs, internships, leadership opportunities, student organizations, community-based learning—are some of the best ways to add to your personal brand.
As a UMass student, you have access to LinkedIn Learning, where you can learn (and track on a LinkedIn profile) hundreds of professional skills, ranging from graphic design to supervision.
Career Services offers interview tools to help you practice and hone your skills. Our Getting Started page also has links for finding help writing resumes and cover letters.