Do you remember this series of commercials from Wendy’s in the 80’s? The little old lady is standing next to her friends and they are staring at this massive bun, only to open it and find a little bitty beef patty. What a disappointment!
Managing your brand is just like this. You have to have a great package (hb bun), but the key is to also have a big juicy pattie in the middle. We don’t want to open the bun and find that there is no content, nothing to sink our teeth into, nothing to water in our mouths. We want the real deal, flavors, thick meaty patties with all the fixins.
Job Seekers: It is great to be polished on the outside, but you have to know and understand the value of what is on the inside. If I unravel that bow, I want to see something substantial in that gift. Know yourself and what you have to offer. It is great to be humble, but you still have to know what you have to offer. Know your skills. If you don’t know your skills, ask people close to you what you are good at and see what they say. Take some professional or personality assessments to help provide the terminology to use to describe yourself.
And stop comparing yourself to other burgers. How could Wendy’s, Whataburger, and Burger King make it in the shadow of McDonalds’ success? By not comparing, by being different, by differentiating themselves, but knowing what they have to offer and to whom they want to offer their product.
So I encourage you to not only package your professional image well, but really focus on what you have to offer a prospective employer. Google a list of skills and circle the ones you think you are good at. Then think of tangible examples of how you have demonstrated those skills within your professional or academic work.
And don’t forget…Always show me the beef!
SC
For your viewing pleasure: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ug75diEyiA0
KSE Career Consulting 