3 personal branding lessons I learned with the New Pros
In 2018 I served as chair of the PRSA Charlotte New Professionals. Throughout the year, our committee organized a few programming events on personal branding, including a resume workshop and a panel on work wear that discussed what it means to dress for success in 2019. Here are some of the best personal branding lessons that I will be taking with me – even though I’m no longer a “new pro.” After all, what better time to revisit your LinkedIn profile or dust off your resume than during a bout of spring cleaning?
1. The purpose of your resume and cover letter is to get you an interview – not the job.
Your resume and cover letter should answer the question: “Why should I bring this candidate in for an interview?” I think often we’re so focused on getting the job, that we forget about the middle step – the interview. The recruiters at our resume workshop event said they typically don’t spend more than 10 seconds looking at a resume before making a decision on whether they should schedule an interview with a candidate. Tailor your resume and cover letter to the job posting to show how you check all of the boxes, and design it in a way that is quick to read. Then, you can expand on your skills and experiences in the interview.
2. Don’t include a headshot on your resume – but do include a skills section.
Speaking of an easily-scannable resume, the recruiters at our event said they love when candidates include a “skills” section. This allows them to quickly see the candidate’s areas of expertise without having to dig through all of their job descriptions. However, they said the best resumes then show specific examples of those skills in action in their job descriptions.
On the flip side, all three HR professionals on our panel said they do not like it when candidates include a headshot on their resume. Many new resume templates, like the ones found on Canva, include a designated spot for a headshot, but our panelists said they don’t want to judge candidates by what they look like – only by their work experience.
3. It’s still possible to ‘dress for the job you want’ – even in a casual office environment.
Startup culture has caused more offices to go from business casual to simply casual when it comes to dress codes. But if everyone in your office dresses in jeans and a t-shirt, it can be hard to comply with that old adage, “dress for the job you want, not the one you have.” Our panelists said you can stand out from the crowd by dressing in the best possible version of the company dress code.
For example, if everyone wears jeans to work, don’t wear your casual jeggings or distressed jeans, but opt for a tailored, dark-wash jean paired with a high-quality blouse or button-down and a smart blazer. Another pro tip? Create your own work uniform by buying your suit separates in the same color and mix and match with colorful tops or accessories.
What’s the best personal branding tip you’ve picked up over the years?
Caitlin Ryan, APR 