Q & A: Can you help me find my brand?

I spoke to you at the assembly here at Claflin University, and I asked you some things, but was afraid to ask the rest out loud, my question is I am applying for the Honors College and I need a brand statement in order to get in, just in case I get interviewed.

My skills that I have obtained so far are communications skills, I have interpersonal skills but, that’s too few to name can you help me find my brand? To get in I have to demonstrate ongoing leadership skills, be academically successful, and develop service for the community.

–college freshman, Claflin University

Since I spoke at Clafin last month, I’ve gotten well over a dozen requests for help with personal branding and brand statements so, I’m writing a series of articles that will help get everybody started. There are 9 questions at the end of the first article that you need to answer in writing.

This will help you with the first step which is Authenticity. Before you can make a bankable statement about who you are and what you bring to the table you have to KNOW who you are and what you have to offer that makes people say “Wow!” All of this has to be authentic..

Who are you? I mean the REAL you. Are you cool with the real you?

While you are working on those questions in the article, practice telling a story that PROVES you are what they are looking for. If they want you to demonstrate something, that means prove it. Proof is one of the seven steps we’ll talk about in the personal branding series.

Since you know that they are looking for leadership skills, strong academic background, and community service you need to be able to tell a SHORT professional story that demonstrates each thing they are looking for or one SHORT story that will show all three.

The methodology that most interviewers are looking for nowadays is called the STAR method.

Situation/Scenario — What was the deal? What was going on?

Task — What were you working on? What were you supposed to accomplish?

Action — What did you do? What didn’t you do? (ex. I didn’t panic)

Result — What happened? What didn’t happen? (ex. The restaurant didn’t burn down.)

Take this method, throw in a dash of humor, keep it brief, and you should have powerful story. A powerful, well told story is worth a gazillion dollars. It keeps you from saying something corny like, “Well…I’m a good leader, my grades are excellent, and I like to volunteer.” Yawn.

It doesn’t matter where the story is from. It could be church, school, work, clubs, activities, or anything. (Almost.)

Million-Dollar Question:
What if I don’t have a story like that?

Then you aren’t thinking creatively enough or you have some work to do. After meeting you, I would have to say that if a story or experience isn’t coming to mind then it’s a lack of creativity on your part.

Come on, man. Seriously. You’re applying to the Honor’s College. You must be an outstanding student with leadership experience or you wouldn’t even be in the running, right?

Work on a story or two and practice them in front of the mirror. Then go to the interview, kill them with your great story, and have fun in the Honor’s College.

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Got a question? Use this form to ask Al.