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12 Ways to Quell The Voice of Your Personal Brand and Not Get Heard or Hired

12 Ways to Quell The Voice of Your Personal Brand and Not Get Heard or Hired by Mark Anthony Dyson

Never quell the voice of your brand. Never. It is the path to your future opportunities.

Everyone is an authority, at least in their household, or at the minimum, self. Right? Or maybe you are an insider and can speak authoritatively about your industry, hobby, or passion. Authority is essential in your career brand voice.

People get psyched out when they hear a loud voice that is demeaning and demanding. That’s a career brand voice most will pass on. Trust is earned and won, and that is what people will be drawn to at the end of the day.

Your actions are also vital in establishing a professional brand and voice. It would be best if you did what you said you would and people believed you. Or you don’t meet the goals that you set for yourself. It’s almost as if your words fall to the ground. Want more clients? Want more opportunities?

If your voice doesn’t have a brand, you give the control to someone else.

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I have 12 ways to identify why your voice lacks authority or credibility. This will help you connect with people much faster, with assurance, and open the doors to opportunities you didn’t think existed before.

12 Ways to Mute Your Brand and Not Get Heard or Hired!

Lack of Focus

You can have too many influences, heroes, and mentors if you lack core beliefs and values. The overflow of your heart, or lack thereof, will surface. If people don’t know where you’re going or are confused by the direction of your actions and words, no one will buy in. If your messaging is unclear and unfocused, eventually, your network and (Lord forbid) those who consider you for jobs become uninterested. It’s best to master one point and two sub-points at a time. Better yet, one issue might be best.

Trying Too Hard

Let’s say you meet someone that can put you on the right person’s hiring radar. Instead of being patient, you start calling twice a day for a week to ask how things are progressing. What are the chances your contact is so annoyed they are now ignoring you?

Listen to 5 Reasons to Unfollow Career Obstructing Social Media Contacts

Inciteful but Never Insightful

You want to be seen as original, but at the cost of someone else’s ideas or content. You instead erroneously quote or regurgitate others’ ideas as your own. When people hear you or see your work, and it becomes evident that you don’t have an original thought, they will lose respect or confront you until you give correct attribution. We have all seen people who suck up to people for reasons other than being valuable. It never ends well, and the last thing they get is respect.

Weak or Wrong Delivery Method

People think a loud delivery of their ideas is the most effective when it only compensates for weak arguments. Great ideas need the proper delivery to inspire the right action and by the right people. Sometimes, less is more, especially when we have the right solution. I have a soft voice, but I believe in the proverb, “A gentle word breaks a bone.” The secret is confidence in what I say (often preceded by much thought). You can do it too!

Listen to Second Chance for Job Seekers with GoodHire

Lack of Experience

I am turned off when people say they have a passion for a career or task but lack the work, credentials, or research to demonstrate competence. The first few hundred times may not be enough to claim yourself as an expert. If that’s the case, there are other questions and concerns you should have and put in more reps (more work).

Not Growing Professionally

To use a fitness analogy, to grow muscles, they must be worked to failure now and then. Reps are done until the power is overloaded with work, until no more reps can be performed—

You don’t grow because you haven’t been overloaded or worked to failure.

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Muscles must be challenged regularly to grow, and so do you. You want to grow, stretch, and show your usefulness. Create a blog and take people on that journey with you!

Not Asking Questions, Lacking Depth

Great questions come from excellent listening skills. Not asking an interview question is lazy, but lacking depth in asking a question says so much more negatively. People who successfully obtain the job they want repeatedly ask simple but profound questions.

Lacking Initiative

Successful career management is partly intuitive. There are hints as we go along that point us in the right direction. Sometimes, it’s weird, but that voice inside should be heard often, and to quell it requires initiation and action. Perhaps you’re afraid to fail or to make a mistake. People will likely forget the missed shot if you make the next shot.

Read Do you impress potential employers?

Temperament

People will find it easy to say no to you if you are easily frustrated. Apply temperance to any area in life, but specifically to your career management or job search efforts.

Your Life

All unclear goals, objectives, and targets lacking in purpose will come into play in everything you do in your career. The pattern in your life shows that you’re a shooting star: vibrant at first, then dissipates like mist. That’s rarely a good thing.

No Follow-Up

This is a must-have skill. Without it, you will never thrive. Want to work from home? Want to freelance? The follow-up is the money maker probably missing from your arsenal. To emphasize an earlier point, no one takes you seriously when you say you’ll do it and you don’t.

Don’t Promote, Market, or Advertise Yourself

I am not a big fan of wearing a banner or showing my face on a billboard, but I have a website. It’s probably the difference between someone finding you and your uniqueness or wondering why you’re unique.

This can be challenging if you are used to not being in control of your career. Job seekers have much more confidence and faith when he or they have a pliable attitude and are willing to pivot, turn, or turnaround even. Wherever your opportunities come from, it will depend on how you develop a career voice recognized by the right employer, business partner, or client.

About Mark Anthony Dyson

I am the "The Voice of Job Seekers!" I offer compassionate career and job search advice as I hack and re-imagine the job search process. You need to be "the prescription to an employer's job description." You must be solution-oriented and work in positions in companies where you are the remedy. Your job search must be a lifestyle, and your career must be in front of you constantly. You can no longer shed your aspirations at the change seasons. There are strengths you have that need constant use and development. Be sure you sign up to download my E-Book, "421 Modern Job Search Tips 2021!" You can find my career advice and work in media outlets such as Forbes, Inc., Fast Company, Harvard Business Review, Glassdoor, and many other outlets.

by Mark Anthony Dyson

Unemployed – Dull? 9 Ways to Stay Sharp During a Lengthy Job Search

I am surprised how many job seekers become dull while unemployed. We can discuss how he or she becomes dull while working a job (to be discussed in another article). Dull people miss opportunities passing under their noses. WAKE UP!

Working a temporary or contract position is the ultimate because you earn while building relationships with your co-workers.

Of course, we have to include a side hustle.

If you’re not working in some capacity, laziness could be at your doorstep. Yes, you become lazy, sleepy, and sedentary! It affects everything and every part of your life when you’re unemployed.

Here are a few signs you’re becoming dull during this time of your life:

You are not meeting new people and perhaps too comfortable around people who don’t care enough to challenge you.
You can’t sit down to read for more than a few minutes without agitation.
Your health is declining, and you are moody and not eating as healthily as you can.
You’re finding comfort and complacency OK by casually responding to job leads.
You’ve given up on hope and faith in your abilities–you’ve become a settler–you’ll take anything.

Here are a few suggestions to remain sharp during a long job search:

1. Find a place outside your home to read career and job search-related articles, books, or videos. I find it helpful to meet others and add to your network.

2. Join a Job Club (they still exist), LinkedIn groups, and Twitter chats. Challenges aren’t always direct, but you’re more motivated when you hear about other people’s successes and failures. Then when you’re succeeding in certain parts, you can encourage others. Courage, patience, persistence, perseverance, and resilience are often underestimated and underused in our lives. You can’t put a price on those attributes. Or, you can create a job club and invite those in your neighborhood. You can do what I did and work with your church or one near you to host one.

3. Get out and work out. If you don’t have a gym membership (check out your local YMCA, park district, for affordable memberships), then look up “Playground Workouts” on YouTube. There are many rigorous and challenging workouts to learn and do. It has been proven exercise challenges you mentally.

4. Read and write. It doesn’t have to be something career related. You need to feed your brain in a way to keep you sharp. Too many people want to sit in front of the television or computer to participate in mindless activities. It is better to be in learning mode than distracted mindlessly. Writing will counteract dullness even quicker (non-scientific statement). Crossword puzzles help as well as writing poetry.

5. Teaching/coaching/instructing/mentoring. Career-related participation is the first choice, although you’re not limited to your industry. I would even say helping your kids with homework is a way to remain cognitively engaged. If you don’t have kids, volunteer.

6. Volunteer.

Volunteering is a great way to hone and build skills best to market yourself

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. With the experience you lack, volunteering can help you get what you need to get hired. If you’re looking for a leadership position, joining a board of directors is not hard. Sometimes, there is a vetting process, but most non-profits want to fill seats. Consider this as an easy win in sharpening your skills.

7. Keep a schedule. It is a very good time to maintain or gain discipline when you’re unemployed. A schedule will sharpen your focus and impress people you network with because you have a purpose. Even if you’re single and living at home with your parents, a schedule will help keep your discipline. It’s best to fill your schedule to optimize potential opportunities, especially during the week.

8. Practice interviewing. Since there are so many books to read with interview questions, it’s hard to narrow down to one choice. But more important than the book, practice with someone who can help you get better at answering questions. While I don’t recommend scripting rehearsed answers, the practice will inform your thoughts of how you’ll need to come across.

9. Help and serve family or extended family members. Why shouldn’t others benefit from your extra time? When you focus on yourself, there are temptations of self-doubt and unhealthy doses of isolation. Looking for opportunities to give to family members without asking for anything brings personal satisfaction.

There are so many other ways to sharpen your mind at a time.

It happens too often where people will go to interviews stumbling on frequently asked questions, unfocused, and lacking clarity. I have had clients who were asked in an interview what they have been doing during unemployment. Employers want more substantive answers than “Looking for a job.”

About Mark Anthony Dyson

by Mark Anthony Dyson

7 Ways to WOW Employers During Any Recession

Design by Mark Anthony Dyson

It appears we’re at the dawning of another recession, and the layoffs of 2022 right before the holidays can scare job seekers into pausing their efforts to find new opportunities in 2023. On the contrary, this job market will require creative and bold ways to stand out to employers and recruiters. Companies will always hire or reach out to great talent. You have to be visible to be included ahead of passive job seekers.

Part of the challenge for job seekers is many depend solely on job boards, bracing themselves for interrogation during the interview process and hoping to get picked. What’s unfortunate is waiting to be chosen, often by the company, as if it were the NFL draft. Many will even go with companies that are the wrong fit for them.

When it comes to your competitors, they settle for being the hired hand instead of being the shepherd of their career. They do enough to say they did something. It’s an intrinsic battle most of us fight once during our careers. I did it when I needed the check. It’s not the worst decision ever, but unfortunately, for some, it’s the only way to navigate career moves year after year.

Yes, you can have a say in where you work. You can determine if a job has the ideal culture for you. But it’s work you must do, and connecting with the right people is an essential part of the work.

WOW them before your first interview. Remember, there are no quick fixes or immediate results here. Build an online presence over time, make meaningful connections consistently, and be twice as helpful as what you receive. The result: You have built a direct and indirect referral engine (more powerful than Google).

Here are a few suggestions:

1. WOW employers by weathering the storms

Resilience is a powerful attribute to show. You showed it during the pandemic’s recession. You can do it again. If you’re telling your story online and offline, part of your story explains how you navigated the challenges and overcame fears. Show how you create workarounds without complaining about obstacles. It’s tough to do, but it’s doable. Show them you are flexible, adaptable, and capable.

2. WOW employers with your diverse network

Showing you can work with different types of thinking and people from various backgrounds demonstrates you’re relatable and are a skillful communicator. You will also notice your networking opportunities will open global possibilities for jobs. You maintain composure when it’s challenging to understand a dialect or language different than yours—or show no indifference if a culture or race is new to you.

3. WOW employers with a consultant mindset

Good personal trainers assess your physical movement before prescribing exercises. They will only offer training to weaken a weak body part if the exercise strengthens the muscle. The trainer may defer to your doctor for further tests or a physical therapist who can rehabilitate the weak muscle. In the same way, the consultant mindset finds the problem, facilitates team solutions whenever possible, and targets, plans, and implements short and long-term fixes.

4. WOW employers, with your agility

Job seekers who are getting it done are adding skills valuable to many different industries. They also invest in the training instead of expecting a company to pay for it. They perpetually scale their careers and prioritize networking to connect with employers, recruiters, and referrers.

5. WOW employers with a bold delivery of solutions

While video applications have yet to be widely used to apply for jobs, it increases the chances recruiters and employers will get to know and grow to trust you. When using these mediums as storytelling tools, you can ensure ways to be memorable. Creating a podcast or being a guest on a podcast, radio, video, or television show changes how you are remembered and valued.

6. WOW employers with your use of video

Video can help you reach employers in many ways, and you can optimize its use on LinkedIn Live and Instagram Stories. Recruiters and employers actively use both, and there is a growing use of Instagram to show their culture and employees as brand ambassadors.

7. WOW employers by extending your resume to the web

Your resume needs more than accomplishments and results to stand out in a competitive job market. Blogs, vlogs, and podcasts are slowly growing as a way for job seekers to demonstrate expertise. An article on JobMob.co.il shows 17 examples of people who found creative and bold ideas to present their credentials to target employers. When it didn’t work for the original target employer, it helped them stand out to other companies like the intended employer.

It takes time to find out what employers want at the beginning of your job search. Since so many job candidates don’t have anything, online employers want to see, for you, it’s where you want to lead them. So many people need to put in the consistency and the thought to build an impressive online presence.

Consider this advice an opportunity to make it easy and insightful for employers to find you and, at times, discover you before you know they are looking.