There’s a saying by Ralph Waldo Emerson that many innovators like: “Build a better mousetrap and the world will beat a path to your door.”
We love it because the saying implies an invention or fresh idea simply needs to be better than what’s already out there to be successful. All we need to do is create it… and customers will throw cash or fame our way.
Sadly, it doesn’t work that way. Case in point: the mousetrap itself.
The spring-loaded mousetrap was invented in the late 1900s. Since then, tons of new (and better) mousetraps have been invented. You can now reduce your mouse problem through live traps, glue traps, water traps and other gruesome devices. There’s even a mousetrap that gently gases mice and then emails you a notice. PETA calls that one an “animal friendly achievement!”
But, when you think of solutions to your mouse problem, I bet your mind still goes to the simple spring-loaded trap. (Or your cat.)
Why is that?
It’s probably because the plain, ordinary, run-of-the mill mousetraps are the ones that get all the attention. Cartoon characters are always sticking their fingers into them (as well as some not-so-smart comedians on television). Kids use them to build tiny spring-operated cars in shop classes in middle school. And, I’ll bet that while most shops out there don’t even carry most of the fancy mousetrap models, they all have the simple one that everyone knows.
Here’s the truth: It doesn’t matter if you’re a better solution to someone’s problem… if they don’t know that you exist.
Personal branding is essential
That’s why personal branding is so essential today. If you’re hoping that people will instantly recognize what makes you amazing, you’re going to be disappointed. You may be much, much better at something than your competition (other job seekers) – but that doesn’t mean you’ll stand out.
There are too many other people out there with similar resumes and backgrounds–and too many hiring managers are receiving hoards of job applications for every available job. They don’t have time to sift through every word of resumes, looking for things that make you amazing. They’re simply looking for people who meet the requirements of the job.
I’m sure you can understand. After all, if your house is overrun with mice, you probably don’t spend 30 minutes in the hardware store reading reviews of every mousetrap on the market to find one that works… you just rush into the hardware store and grab the first one you see that you know will do the trick.
Obviously, that’s not always the best way to go. In my case, I definitely would be interested in a mousetrap that made the whole experience more human – but until today, I didn’t even know there was such a thing as a PETA-approved mousetrap! (Bet you didn’t either.)
And, most hiring managers would definitely be interested in hiring someone who was a “better mousetrap” for the job. But if all they have to look at is your bland, generic resume, they’re probably not going to know you exist either.
So, if you want people to realize that you have some amazing qualities that make you the perfect person for a job, you need to stop waiting for someone to pluck you off the shelf to take a closer look. (Or, more likely, give you the chance to explain in an interview.) You need to get out there and make everyone believe that you’re the better option!
After all, if someone already knows they’re looking for a better mousetrap when they start shopping, they’ll walk right past the ordinary, run-of-the-mill models without even a second glance!
Author:
Katie Konrath writes about “ideas so fresh… they should be slapped” at getFreshMinds.com, a top innovation blog.
