The more job offers you have, the more control you have over your career path and the more flexibility you have when it comes to salary negotiation. The best way for any job seeker to acquire this leverage is through branding themselves as “the job applicant that every company wants to hire.”
Knowing what the employers want is the first step toward meeting the needs of hiring companies. However, beyond the skill set laid out in the company’s job description, there are personal traits that are very important to all firms. For the job seeker to be successful, they must be considered the ideal applicant. Here is how to brand yourself as the job applicant every employer wants to hire:
Ability to execute – Employers want employees who require less management and can provide the most execution for their salary dollar. The smartest hiring managers understand that execution and intelligence are mutually exclusive and that talent means little if someone can’t finish the job.
In order for a job seeker to brand themselves as someone who can effectively execute on the necessary duties, they must brand themselves as capable and willing to put in the necessary work required to see a project through to completion.
Friendly attitude – Many times, a company won’t hire a prospective applicant simply because he or she is overly rigid and is perceived as high maintenance. Someone’s reserved nature might mask an otherwise easygoing, warm demeanor once he or she gets to know a colleague, but without a deliberately open, inviting attitude on display, your interviewer will never know.
While the meek shall inherit the earth, those who get along with others shall inherit the most coveted jobs whether they be in business, politics or anything else.
Optimistic and energetic persona – Companies who hire intelligently are always aiming to create a working environment for their employees that is full of energetic, healthy people who are happy, thus making the office more productive and competitive within their respective field.
Recently, the recruiters at my firm had two job applicants with very similar backgrounds going for the same sales management job. While the employer admitted it was a hard choice amongst, they ended up basing their decision on the individuals’ general outlooks on life and business – they chose the more upbeat of the two job seekers.
High self-esteem – Often, job applicants go into an interview and answer the questions based on what they think the interviewer wants to hear. These job applicants are known as “people pleasers” and lack the self-confidence to be honest and sincere when responding.
Employers want to hire employees who have integrity and who are mature. These are two traits that spawn from healthy self-esteem, and those who can exude a personal brand growing out of high self-esteem, integrity and honesty will receive more employment offers and higher compensation throughout their careers.
Desire for career success – Workers who are interested in a successful career are bound to execute more and typically maintain an optimistic attitude, as well as a higher sense of self-worth. While companies want an environment where workers are committed to the greater good of the organization, they understand that job applicants who desire career success are inevitably going to contribute more.
Your Personal Branding Ability
The ability to successfully brand oneself as someone who possesses the above traits is not only important to job search, but can mean the difference between an average and great career. Thus, this makes positive personal branding imperative.
