A heaping bowl of tortilla chips, a large vat of chile con queso, pizza, hot wings and all sorts of desserts: it must be Super Bowl time.
The big game is a great time to meet with friends and family in a kicked back, relaxed atmosphere to stuff you face, share a laugh and watch two teams try to smash each other to death on a patch of green.But the big game isn’t all about football and friends; the Super Bowl is also about advertising, and lots of it. Each year advertisers pump out the year’s best commercials for that either tout a new product or rebrand a trusted one.
In the same vein, then, you should be thinking about how in your job search you can rebrand your own product. When on the job market, you have to be creative about the way you present yourself and your skills. Your current resume states that you work well with people. That might be the case, but in what capacity? Are you an effective manager of diverse teams or are you a detailed oriented, task driven team player?
Last year, Domino’s Pizza went way out on the limb with their rebranding. The whole advertising package for the food giant relied on commercials that suggested, “Look, we know we blew it. Our pizza was awful, and we’ve made huge improvements.” http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AH5R56jILag
Now, you don’t need to tell a possible job lead that you were not a good employee, but think about how you can retool and rebrand your current skill set to fit a variety of jobs. If a huge company like Domino’s Pizza can do it, so can you. I often tell teachers seeking a new career that their resume should say “dynamic facilitator of unique learning environments” as opposed to “high school history teacher.” Rebranding your skills allows possible employers to see you beyond the current or previous job occupation you held and instead see the skills you offer.
Speaking of teachers, did you see the Super Bowl commercial last year for the Chevy Camaro? If not, click here to see the commercial. If any vehicle has been rebranded over the last fifty years, the Camaro has. From the 1960s antique muscle car to the new muscle of the new millennium, the Camaro has transformed itself to meet the needs of the modern world. Last year’s big game commercial for the Camaro has a woman race through various settings only to land at work as a teacher in front of a school. Remember the Camaro recently transformed into a heroic robot in the big movie blockbuster, Transformers. The marketers at Chevrolet know that to sell the car, they have to appeal to a wide variety of people.
The same can be said about you, your skills and what you offer to employers. Tailor your resume and talking points to the job you are seeking. A “problem solver” might be the same as a “creative thinker” or someone with “strong analytic skills.” Putting new names to your assets allows potential employers to see you as someone that aligns to the needs of the company.
When the game ends and the commercials have concluded, try out a new brand of your own. The audience may surprise you.
Michael Webster serves as an Industry Liaison to the Education Sector for the Gulf Coast Workforce Board. With over a decade of experience in teaching and staff development, Michael is passionate about ensuring all students achieve an enriching and successful life beyond high school. In his current capacity, he services school districts in developing a strong workforce and in delivering career resources to students and their families.
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