Study Shows Being A "BFF" To Employers Can Help Your Job Search

This article featured in Fast Company this week stopped me in my tracks:

Why Do We Like Brands As Much As We Like People?

It highlights a study showcasing proof of how much branding matters. In fact, it was this quote about the results of the study that hit me between the eyeballs:

THE EMOTION EVOKED BY LOVED BRANDS IS JUST AS INTENSE AS THAT EVOKED BY A CLOSE FRIEND."

As soon as I read it, I thought: "This helps explain why 80% of all hiring is done via referral." Here's why...

Referrals Require Personification (a/k/a Promotion of Your Personal Brand)

When someone refers you to a job, they need to explain a little bit about you to the person. It's not a simple, "Hey, check this person out ___," and then a link to your resume or LinkedIn profile. They feel obligated to "pitch" you a bit i.e. sharing a few things about you that can help the person visualize why you'd be a potentially good fit for the role. This is the 'personification' of you as a professional. Now, if the person knows you well, it can be easy for them to share your personal brand with the person. But, what if you haven't done a good job of conveying your personal brand? It could result in the person referring you not doing as good a job of marketing you. It's like the telephone game we played as kids. If the message is weak or confusing to begin with, the translation down the line can end up messy!

[FYI - If you're looking for articles on how to self assess so you can personify your brand better, check out this one I wrote on LinkedIn that provides access to a free Career Decoder tool that can help you.]

How to Get Employer's to View You as "BFF" Potential

The best way to make certain your personal brand is sending the right message to an employer is to showcase how you are connected to them. What do you share in terms of skills, beliefs, attitudes, values, focus, etc.? An easy way to determine that is to ask yourself the following two questions about a potential employer:

1. What do you admire and respect most abut the product/service they provide and why?
2. What in your own personal or professional experience taught you that this was something worthy of respect and admiration?

When you can tie your personal brand to the employer's brand, you can build a foundation for connection. As the article on Fast Company pointed out, love of brand provides the same feeling as being connected to a best friend. So, why wouldn't we try to create that feeling for an employer?

PLUS, how much easier is it for your friends, family, and colleagues to refer you to an employer if they understand how you feel connected to them? You can make the effort of pitching you infinitely easier with the right personal brand!

P.S. - Have we met yet? First, thanks for reading my article! I have the privilege of being the CEO of CareerHMO.com. Besides writing for LinkedIn, I also write column for INC Magazine is called "Workplace Referee." I invite you to CLICK BELOW on some of my most popular articles:

8 Workplace Personas - Which One Are YOU?

3 Reasons Millennials Are Getting Fired

How to Get 1,000,000 Followers on LinkedIn

7 Signs You Should Take That (Scary) Risk

9 Signs You Should Run From That Job Offer

3 Reasons to Quit Making Excuses & Start A 'Hobby Career'

The New Type of Company Everybody Wants to Work For