gardner12e

Market Yourself

Some think that marketing yourself is what you do when you need a job, but that’s not the case at all. It’s actually about developing a presence on campus and within your industry. Marketing yourself is about creating a name and a reputation that will shape your future. It is important to start building your brand now and looking at it as a personal challenge with no end date. Here are a few points to consider:

If you don’t do it, no one else will. Taking control of your own image is your responsibility. No one is better equipped to portray you as accurately as you. Remember to share your career goals with instructors, advisers, friends, and family; they can’t help market you if they don’t know you! The more others know about your professional goals, the more they can help you make professional connections.
Actions speak louder than words. It is important to develop and continuously update professional documents such as a résumé and a well-written cover letter. It is more important, however, to have a professional voice.
Got ideas? Share them. People are often hesitant about sharing their ideas or providing direction to others, but guess what? If you don’t, others establish themselves as the go-to person, and you may be left with a good idea that no one else knows about.
Get an edge over your competition. You need to stand out from your peers if you want to go far in your career. Think carefully about what you are doing to advance yourself professionally outside the classroom, such as becoming a co-op student, an intern, or a volunteer.
It isn’t all about you. Really, it isn’t. Sharing the accomplishments of your peers is one way to promote yourself indirectly. The smartest way to market yourself is actually to make it not about you. In turn, your peers will do the same for you and your accomplishments. In the end, everyone wins.