Every worker is a Company of One. As individuals, we provide a service to our employer and agree upon a rate at which we provide that service. When looking for a new job, think of yourself as a Company of One. When working within your existing role, think of yourself as a Company of One. Successful companies create sales and marketing plans. You should too! Creating a personal brand, highlighting marketable skills, polishing your resume and cover letter, and utilizing LinkedIn will help to effectively launch your Company of One.
Personal Brand
Your personal brand is who you are, and how others view you. It has everything to do with:
- Personality – Energetic, warm, engaging, approachable – What describes you?
- Visual Recognition – Do you always wear bright colors, red shoes, or a dark suit?
- Tag Line on your Resume and LinkedIn – This should state precisely what skills you offer – not your job title. For example, “Tri-lingual in Finance, Operations and Process Improvement”
Marketable Skills
What skills do you provide that are unique or what skills do you have that an employer needs? Some examples of concrete skills would be Executive Recruiter, Cost Accounting, FDA Regulatory Affairs, and ERP System Implementation. It is also wise to include transferable skills such as Project Management, Process Review, and Strategic Planning.
Resume
The purpose of your resume is to give a summary of who you are that includes your skills, abilities, and accomplishments. It is one of the tools used to secure an interview. Your resume should include these sections:
- Tag Line – This should be the same as what you have on LinkedIn
- Areas of Expertise – Bullet these into two columns to include you marketable skills, and transferable skills
- Professional Experience – This is the list of employers with whom you’ve worked. Always include:
- A brief sentence describing your employer
- Start each bullet with an action word such as: Drove, Determined, Advised, etc.
- Education, Certifications – List your education with the most recent one first, then certifications
- Publications – List your publications with the most recent one first
- Patents – List your patents with the most recent one first
- Other Activities/Professional Organizations – Identify your professional affiliations, and any service and positions held
- DO NOT – Include a picture, state your marital status or number of children, include a reference to religious affiliation, or state that references are available upon request
Cover Letter
Your cover letter is another piece of your marketing material that shows your excitement, and is a great way to be found through key word searches. It is also the best way to show exactly how you meet the requirements of the position for which you are applying.
Every cover letter needs to include what we call a Talent Translator®. Simply stated, it’s a chart that has two columns. The left column parses the position description, word for word, with each requirement in its own row of the table. The right column is your opportunity to give proof points, work examples, years of experience, and the company names of where you obtained the related experience. This chart will make your cover letter long so stick to one short introductory paragraph, the Talent Translator® and a short closing paragraph. Corporate recruiters, HR departments and hiring managers will love getting this level of information because you are replying to their RFP with exactly what you can do for them.
Having a LinkedIn profile is key for any professional because 92% of companies utilize it to research potential candidates. Here are the key components of LinkedIn:
- Profile photo – Make it professional
- Tag line – not your job title
- Background Summary
- Work History – Make sure to include detail like that in your resume
- Education
- Referrals – Reach out to people that can write a great referral about your work
- Skills & Expertise – This should mirror the areas of expertise on your resume
- Additional Information to include – Websites, Twitter, and interests
- Groups – Start to join groups that pertain to your area of expertise. Join in on discussions, or create your own discussions. People will start to take notice of your expertise
- Include your contact information – Make it easy for people to reach out to you, especially when you’re looking for a new position. Include your phone number and email address
- Add connections! – A great way to start is to add them from within the groups that you joined
Written by: Paula Norbom
About Talencio: We help the Health Technology community make progress by putting the right people in the right place to solve problems and identify opportunities to move healthcare forward. To learn more about career opportunities in health technology, or to hear how other companies have partnered with Talencio to tap into our skilled professional talent pool, contact us at 612.703.4236 or email. Talencio has been the preferred provider of vetted, accomplished professionals to the Health Technology Community for over 10 years.