Have you ever considered the impact of your online presence on your personal brand? Whether you're actively cultivating it or not, you have a digital footprint, and it shapes how others perceive you. From your LinkedIn activity to your social media presence, or total lack thereof, every online action contributes the personal brand that you project to the world.
To intentionally curate a personal brand, it’s important to know what makes up a good one. Like companies work to differentiate themselves in the marketplace, ag job seekers can develop a brand for themselves. Values, skills, expertise, online presence, and professional reputation are all things your brand should include and be built upon.
So, what makes you different than every other candidate applying for the same agriculture jobs? And how do you share those unique attributes? Here are a few steps to guide the creation or continued cultivation of your personal brand.
Where do you hope to be in five years? What about 10 years? And what traits do you have that are going to help you get there? Prioritize your values and objectives and build an image around them. Do you value travel and hope to do so in your career, or do you prioritize time at home with family? Identify what you need to be happy in a career now and in the future and use it to lead your personal brand.
Once you know what you value, recognize what value you have to offer. What can you contribute to a company? What traits and qualifications do you have that make you different than others? Maybe your personal brand involves being an incredible leader, which would make you a great candidate for an agribusiness management position. Or maybe you have tangible sales results from a past job, and your goal is to land another position at an ag company in a sales role. Analyze what skills set you apart, and let it fuel your brand as you go about the job search.
If you’ve been in the agricultural job market for any time at all, you likely have a resume and cover letter established. If not, now is the time. If so, it’s never a bad idea to review, update and edit them. However, there are other viable platforms to promote your personal brand. Attending networking events – industry meetings, trade shows, career fairs – are another great way to get your personal brand in front of ag recruiters. In addition to events, LinkedIn is a great resource for professional networking and insight sharing. Social media in general is an active piece of the personal brand puzzle. Hiring managers use it as a tool to research and verify your personal brand as presented, so not being on it could serve as a disadvantage.
Once you have a personal brand established and platforms for promotion identified, use them! Share knowledge and insights through your content. Use graphics, videos, blogs and/or images to connect with your audience and reinforce your image. Using online platforms as an extension of your resume bolsters the information on it.
Just as people do, personal brands evolve. And that’s okay! As the agriculture industry changes with technological advancements, sustainability practices and global market trends, your involvement with them will, too. Curating a personal brand is an on-going process, and it’s important to analyze and adapt as needed.
Learn more about your personal brand and the current ag job market by signing up for our newsletter on AgHires.com to receive job-seeking tips, career advice, and job openings. Search thousands of jobs in agriculture, food production, horticulture, ag biotechnology and related industries at AgHires.com.
For more tips on how to stand out as a candidate in the agriculture industry, check our Career Advice Blog.