When you introduce yourself to a new company as a prospective employee, you’re in a unique position to reinvent yourself for the future. There are numerous ways you can frame your past, assert your capabilities and emphasize the unique contribution you could make if hired.
Consider these tips as you seek to put a new spin on your professional credentials:
Use a Skills-Based Resume
Traditional resumes focus on your past, listing a chronology of work and education. If you’re looking to make a fresh career start, this format may pinpoint your lack of relevant experience.
- Switch to a skills-based format. This highlights the abilities and character traits that made you an asset to previous employers. Focus on your best transferrable strengths.
Continue Your Professional Development
Be a lifelong learner. By this point, you’ve already fostered a strong, lengthy knowledge base. Continue to build it.
- Complete certification programs, training events and educational opportunities. Never cease to improve your credentials. If necessary, head back to school and earn the additional degrees needed to enter a desired field. Volunteering is great way to gain valuable experience; for instance, donate your time in a relevant department at a local non-profit organization.
- Invest in your professional development. In doing so, you rebrand yourself as a multi-talented contributor with the exact skills a prospective employer is seeking.
Perfect Your Online Presence
There’s no question that employers will search you online, so be sure that your social media presence is squeaky clean and highly professional. Establish yourself as an interesting, valuable prospect and build your credibility and marketability by becoming an industry expert.
- Remove any unflattering content. If necessary, work with a professional in reputation management to make this happen.
- Optimize your profiles, set up a personal website and start blogging and participating regularly. Online environments give you the freedom and power to build your own personal identity from the ground up.
- Post relevant information and share your thoughts on the latest news and trends. Enhance this by providing links to articles, videos and other helpful sources.
Personal rebranding is an ongoing process and can be a true career asset. Work on building and developing your brand regardless of where you are on your professional path. Contact a Talent Bridge recruitment specialist to learn more.