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So there’s been a lot of focus on your personal brand, but have you ever considered your employment brand?

Your employment brand is very similar to your personal brand in respect to marketing your expertise to the people in your networks. However, when you create your employment brand, you’re specifically marketing yourself as a job seeker for employers and recruiters. By doing this, you can help recruiters discover you as a potential candidate for their company.

Employment branding definitely switches gears from personal branding. As you brand yourself as a professional, the focus is on building your network and developing your career. With employment branding, you are building a brand as a job seeker in order to attract recruiters and employers. Therefore, your focus should be on how you want employers to view you as the right fit for their company.

By creating your employment brand, you will be able to focus on immediate goals for your career. Think about where you want to be in the next five years and what type of job you need in this moment to fulfill those goals. When you create those goals, you will have a better idea of what type of job to look for and how you can market yourself as an asset for employers.

If you’re wondering how you can build your employment brand, check out these four tips to help you get an edge on your job search:

1. Determine if you’re looking for a job or a career. This is the first step in building your employment brand because as a job seeker you need to determine the desired results of your job search. Are you searching for a job because you want to try something new or do you want a job that will advance your career? By asking yourself these questions, you will be able to guide yourself in the right direction to help employers discover your employment brand.

During your job search, figure out what it is you accomplish by looking for a new position. If you’re simply looking for a job to be employed, market yourself for positions where you want to stay at for a length of time. However, if you’re looking to advance your career, focus on finding opportunities to help you learn new skills and gain the experience you desire. Don’t focus so much on the title of the position or the company, but focus on what you will gain from working in that position and how companies will benefit from hiring you.

2. Create a blog for your journey as a job seeker. Did you know only seven percent of job seekers actually have a blog or personal website? That means, if you start blogging, you will automatically stand out among the other 93 percent of job seekers! When you create a blog for your employment brand, it will serve as a tool for you to record what you learn during your job search and write about your experience. You can also use your blog as a way to demonstrate your expertise and build credibility as a job seeker. This way, when employers view your blog, they will be able to learn about your character, experience, and if you’ll be a good fit for their company.

3. Market yourself as an expert. Even though you are a job seeker, you are still a professional. To create a successful employment brand, it’s important to market yourself as an expert in your field. However, in order to do this successfully, you must build credibility for yourself. You can do this by marketing the experience you’ve had from previous jobs or internships as well as creating and sharing content relevant to your field. When you market the skills and accomplishments that define you as a professional, you will show employers confidence as a job seeker and they will be interested in learning more about what you have to offer.

4. Clearly state how employers will benefit from hiring you. Remember, your job search isn’t just about your personal success. Employers are looking for candidates who will help their company accomplish goals and go above and beyond expectations.Your employment brand should illustrate how you are the best fit for their company and how you’ll help the company increase sales, save money, and become an asset for their team.

Your employment brand is an excellent way for you as a job seeker to become noticed by employers. It will increase awareness of your employability and the skills you have to offer to a company. By following these employment branding tips, you will be able to maximize your job search, stand out among job seekers, and land a job that fits your career path.

What are you doing to build your employment brand?

Written by Heather R. Huhman