Why do you care about executive personal branding (again)?

Here's a refresher - a personal brand is a composite message that represents who you are, what you do, and how well you do it.

Why should you care about personal branding when it comes to an executive resume? More than ever, standing out in the job market requires an extra edge.

Far exceeding any traditional resume content or even achievement bullets, personal branding has taken on a life of its own in the careers industry.

A personal brand represents your unique promise of value—in other words, the distinct set of natural strengths-plus-skills that employers get when they hire YOU instead of your competition and precisely the message you want to convey to employers.

Think about some well-known brands, such as McDonald's, Target, or Nike. Most consumers can immediately envision the product(s), logo, and brand feel upon hearing the name.

The same is true of a brand message within a resume. In fact, a well-crafted resume will give an immediate picture of YOUR value to the reader, allowing employers to quickly see why they need to call you for an interview.

A favorite (soapbox!) topic of mine, I believe in the value of injecting your personal brand into your executive resume, since it's vitally important to the reaction you'll receive (and the number of interviews you'll win).

Be sure to check out articles and blogs by William Arruda or Tom Peters, both considered foremost experts in the field of personal branding, to get an insider's view on this aspect of your job search.

Why Networking Works for Executives... from Secrets of the Job Hunt

If you've tried (and failed) to understand what the phrase "hidden job market" is really referring to, check out Hannah Morgan's post at Secrets of the Job Hunt.

Based on research from both job hunters and hiring authorities, networking really means creating a presence that puts you out there--ALL the time--for someone to discover.

In fact, online networking makes this so much easier than ever before. Many executives still don't realize that employers like to source directly from LinkedIn.

Think of the savings in terms of dollars and time. What a talent pool!