Tips for Creating a Career Narrative and Personal Brand That Land You a Job

To stand out, you’ve got to stand for something. Great brands know this. If you need a purse, you can get one from Nine West, Kate Spade, or Hermes. They all do the same job. But with vastly different brand promises. 

When you create a compelling career narrative and personal brand, it separates you from other candidates. It also helps your future employer recognize your contributions and how you’ll fit within their organization. 

A strong and confident first impression enhances your perceived worth and makes you more desirable as a candidate. And when you’re desired, you get the job and have more negotiating power. 

Let’s dive in on the core aspects as you develop your narrative and brand.

Craft a career narrative that serves you

I talk to so many people who think they’ve made a mistake, who have regrets, or who feel like they are “behind” because their career looks different from what they expected.

How you see your career is entirely in your control. It's a story you’ve made up – so, if it’s not serving you, develop a new story.

Reflect on what led you to your jobs, what you learned, what you’re proud of from those experiences, and why you left. Piece your experiences together and find a way to tell the story in a way that seems like a natural evolution. After all, hindsight is 20/20.

When I worked with my client Neera, she felt her different nonprofit experiences meant she was unfocused and wasn’t an expert in any one thing. I helped her see that she did have a throughline. Her work across sectors allows her to bring a valuable perspective that others in her organization lack. We turned her perceived limitation into a strength she now feels proud of.

Understand your audience

First, ensure you’re clear on the role you’re targeting. Then spend time getting into the mind of your “buyer” – aka, the hiring manager. What are the pain points they’re trying to solve by hiring this role? What are the company’s motivations and how does the role relate?

By taking the time to understand what your audience needs and wants, you can focus your message on what’s going to resonate the most and be the hook that’s going to compel someone to want to learn more about you.

In the case of my client Adam, he was targeting sales executives who are motivated to grow revenue. Adam has a proven track record of territory expansion, and as we dug in to understand what made him successful, it was clear he takes a consultative, trust-based selling approach. That became one of the core pillars of his brand, knowing it would resonate with sales executives.

Articulate your unique differentiators

By the time you walk into an interview, all the candidates you’re competing with can do the job and have the necessary skills. This is where your ability to differentiate yourself matters most.

What’s the thing that makes you different from your peers? How do your prior experiences give you a unique lens that others won’t have? What are the things that come naturally to you? Why are they easy for you? And why does that matter in your target role?

My client Carol realized she’s always the one in the room saying the things others are too scared to say out loud. She thrives in creating a safe environment so she can get to the root of an issue and tackle it with transparency and empathy. It’s a key reason she’s successful as a C-suite operations executive.

Tell your career stories

Stories are memorable, which makes you stand out. They are an authentic way to showcase your accomplishments – plus, they carry far more weight than you saying you have a certain trait.

For example, anyone could claim that they’re great at influencing. But it’s more believable when you share an example of how you took a reluctant stakeholder and got them to buy into your proposal. Think “show, don’t tell.”

I know you have compelling stories. You just have to dig for them. Where did you go above and beyond? Where did you come up with a new process to save time or money? Where did you take initiative or solve a thorny challenge?

I was so impressed when my client Jen shared how she had analyzed her team’s mandate and realized that the best recommendation for the company was to disband the team, effectively putting herself out of her job. That spoke volumes about her integrity, courage, and pragmatic decision making.

Edit, edit, edit

I have no doubt you’ve done a lot in your career. But when you try to say it all, you leave people confused. And a confused mind does not take any action.

That person you networked with and shared your entire work history with? They aren’t quite sure who to connect you to.

That recruiter that’s trying to figure out what to make of all your different experiences? They’re going to move on to the next resume.

You are marketing and selling yourself for the job you want. Only talk about the relevant experiences that align with that. Edit everything else out.

When I looked at my client Janet’s resume, it was impressive. Among her many accomplishments was a long list of big-name international foundations she had worked with. But given she was looking for domestic-focused roles, it left me confused and unclear about what she wanted to do. By removing the extraneous details that didn’t align with her future direction, her resume became easier for the recruiter to see how her experience translated.

Put them together

So there you have it. Focus on these elements to develop your personal brand and craft a positioning statement that sets you apart. 

You can tackle it by yourself or enlist a bit of help. Others can often see you with a more objective perspective, so enlist a trusted colleague, a close friend, your partner, or a coach like me.

Remember, this isn’t a step you want to skip. If you can’t differentiate yourself, you’re just one more candidate who gets passed over.