A personal brand: What is it and how do you build one?

During any change, it's important to set yourself goals before you take any action. In your personal life, you probably know your destination before you leave on holiday. A professional objective provides the direction you need as you plan your job search.

The professional objective takes into consideration your values, skills, interests, personal characteristics and overall experience. It will set the tone for your CV and how you interact with others over this period of time.

It will also help you select and prioritise the targets of your search, and the following exercise will help you develop a realistic professional objective.

Personal branding

Personal branding is a trend that's become increasingly important in the business world. It's the process by which you discover what makes you unique and helps you get clear on your skills and abilities, enabling you to then communicate your personal branding message to others.

Your personal brand needs to be authentic; it should be who you are, and genuinely how you appear to others. 

What’s in your box of tricks?

Get to know yourself, consider:

• How you would describe yourself
• What your reputations like
• What you are good at
• Why you do what you do
• What motivates you
• What you love doing

A goal without a plan is just a wish.

During any change, it's important to set yourself goals before you take any action. In your personal life, you probably know your destination before you leave on holiday. A professional objective provides the direction you need as you plan your job search.

It takes into consideration your values, skills, interests, personal characteristics and overall experience. It will set the tone for your CV and how you interact with others over this period of time.

It will also help you select and prioritise the targets of your search, and the following exercise will help you develop a realistic professional objective. 

How to write a CV - top tips from a talent specialist

How to write a CV is something a lot of us have searched for, and it's something quite a few of us struggle with - writing about ourselves. Showcasing our talents. What do prospective employers want to see, or want to know? Well, we've asked someone in the know, one of our Talent specialists here at Simplyhealth. Below you'll find key points to focus on to really get the best from your CV. Ready for a refresh?

• Check for spelling mistakes, ask a friend to check it too. Your CV is your shop window and is the first look a company has at you, don’t fall at the first hurdle.

• Tailor your CV to the role you’re applying for, draw out your experiences that are relevant to the role you’re applying for.

• Make the format clear. Make it easier for the recruiter or hiring manager to find what it is that makes you a strong candidate.

• Bullet point your responsibilities but don’t just list your job description. Bring what you do to life by making it relevant and adding context.

• List some key achievements from each role. Yes, you’ve shown that you’ve done the job but what did you achieve/deliver?

• Have a clear and concise opening summary, make it a brief statement on your experience and qualifications, your key skills and why you’re applying for the role.

• Make it two pages. It’s no hard and fast rule, but you don’t want to make it a chore to read. By keeping it to two pages, it also makes you be more specific with what you want to detail.

• Think of your first page as premium advertising space – everything that makes you suitable for the role needs to be on here. Don’t leave the best part to the bottom of page two!

Want more?

Check out the government’s careers advice section for more tips and tricks on how to make your CV stand out from the rest.