Week 12: How to Market Yourself to Employers?

Hey guys,

   How is it already November? This fall semester has flown by and I can not believe that we only have three weeks left. Seems like it was just yesterday that I was moving in to my new house, finding my class rooms and preparing for the big semester ahead. However, times flies when your having fun and this semester has been nothing short of a blast. 

    As I am preparing for graduation and look towards entering the professional workplace in the next year, I wanted to share with you guys just some tips, trick or helpful information that have aided me so far in my young professional journey.

    The first tip I have for you guys is to create an elevator pitch. This sounds like a complicated task or something that has to be very professional and formal, however all an elevator pitch is at the end of the day is a short statement of who you are, what you want to do career-wise and what you can provide to an organization. Identifying your strengths and what makes you stand out allows the employer who is listening to visualize you in that role and what you could bring to that organization.

    The next tip is to build your brand. Building your brand can seem like bragging to some, which it is, however it is more of marketing yourself for a job in an appropriate or professional manner. This can act as an extension of your elevator pitch, and allow you a space to go more into more depth on your strengths. Talking about what motivates you and why you got into your profession is another great way to show employers you are more than just another interviewee. 

    The final tip and the number one thing that helped me throughout my young professional journey thus far is to invest in people and promote your network. A crucial yet often overlooked part of your network is in what can you bring to others in your network. You can think about this similarly in what you can do for an organization and what you bring to the table. Helping others in your network can go a long way towards spreading goodwill throughout and makes it more likely people will want to help you when you need it most. In other words, the network is not about you. 

I hope this blog has helped others in their job search and also provided some insights into the future for some that have yet to start their professional journey.