Market Yourself
Some people think that marketing yourself is what you do when you need a job, but in fact that’s not the case at all. Marketing yourself is actually about developing a presence at your college and within your industry. If you can create a name and reputation for yourself, you can shape your own future. 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. There is no one better 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 are able to help you make professional connections.
- 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.
YOUR TURN > WORK TOGETHER
Discuss with your classmates what strategies you could use to market yourself to a potential employer? Which of your characteristics or aptitudes would you emphasize? What do your peers plan to do to market themselves?