Your Personal Brand and Career Story
What makes you stand out, and what value do you offer? These are the questions at the heart of your personal brand and career story.
[qodef_blockquote text=”In this section” title_tag=”h4″]
[qodef_blockquote text=”Develop your personal brand” title_tag=”h4″]
Your personal brand is your unique combination of strengths, capabilities, values, passions and goals. It reflects who you are and where you want to go. It evolves as you grow, personally and professionally.
Your Rotman experience will change you. You’ll be introduced to new fields of management and the opportunities they offer. Knowing your personal brand will help you map your career plan in new directions.
Understanding yourself and what sets you apart will also give you greater clarity, help you focus your job search, and help you communicate the value that you offer to prospective employers. Think of brand development as self-research; below are your research questions. Dig deep, be honest and be specific. Take your time with this process — it will pay off!
- Know yourself
a) What are my strengths and attributes?
b) What are areas that I can improve?
c) How do others perceive me?
d) What am I known for?
e) What do I want to be known for?
f) What are my skills?
g) What are my personal values?
h) What motivates me?
i) What drains my energy or causes stress?
j) What am I passionate about?
k) What are my career goals in the short, medium and long term?
- Identify what sets you apart
a) What are the main roles or experiences that define my career so far?
b) What are the depth and breadth of my work experience?
c) What are my key accomplishments and successes?
d) What qualities or experiences set me apart from my peers and competitors?
e) What do I offer prospective employers that others don’t?
[qodef_blockquote text=”Create a compelling career story” title_tag=”h4″]
Your career story is an expression of your personal brand — it tells people why you’re exceptional and why they should know you or hire you. It captures the key things you want others to know about you.
Many people find talking about themselves difficult, or they’re not sure what to say. Crafting your career story allows you to articulate your identity, accomplishments and goals in advance. You’ll feel more confident in the moment, and you’ll get more out of your networking encounters.
[qodef_message type=”normal” icon_pack=”font_awesome” fa_icon=”” close_icon_color=”#e20778″ background_color=”#e20778″ border_color=”#f4f4f4″]In other words…
A career story is also known as a networking pitch, personal pitch, personal brand statement, personal value proposition or unique promise of value.[/qodef_message]
[qodef_blockquote text=”Where to use your career story” title_tag=”h4″]
- Networking events
- Informational meetings
- Coffee chats
- Job interviews
- LinkedIn summary
Always be prepared to share your career story!
[qodef_blockquote text=”Writing your career story” title_tag=”h4″]
A strong career story is clear, memorable and relevant to your audience. View the Career Story video for more information on crafting your career story.
[qodef_blockquote text=”Questions for drafting your career story” title_tag=”h4″]
- Who is my target audience? Classmates, colleagues, employers, etc.
- Why should they meet me, know me or hire me? Connect your strengths to their needs.
- What evidence and success stories can I share? Give examples of your strengths in action.
Your career story will evolve as you learn more about the industries, companies and roles that you’re targeting. Tailor your career story to each new situation, referring back to your personal branding notes.
[qodef_blockquote text=”Shaping your professional image” title_tag=”h4″]
Your professional image, or how you present yourself to the world, is another key part of your personal brand. It includes your appearance, your brand identity and your professional network. Learn more by visiting the Professional Image and Networking sections of this website.
[qodef_blockquote text=”Next steps” title_tag=”h4″]
- Review and practice your career story with your Rotman Career Coach.
- Complete the Personal Career Map to better understand your strengths, motivators and strengths, and review with your Rotman Career Coach.
- Complete the Job Search Strategy Wheel Assessment to better understand where you need to focus your career planning and activities.