Your Positioning/Branding Statement

[Enda Goodwin]

Your positioning/branding statement is the response to: “Tell me about yourself.” You’ll use it in conversations throughout your search – including networking meetings, emails, phone calls, and of course, interviews.

Your positioning statement contains four basic elements:

1. Profession: State your professional identity in the present tense. “I am a marketing executive.”
2. Expertise: State the competencies and skills that qualify you for that kind of work.
3. Types of organizations: Summarize the environments or organizations in which you have worked, such as a Fortune 100 company, small consulting firm, not-for-profit organization. You might also mention other types of activities, such as teaching, participation on boards, or other leadership roles.
4. Unique strengths: Articulate the qualities that help you stand out from others in your field, such as exceptional problem-solving skills, unique technical knowledge, or specialties.

An example of a good positioning statement is: "I am an information systems specialist focusing on the application of technology to business functions in the area of marketing, sales, manufacturing, logistics, and accounting. I have worked with a Fortune 500 firm as well as a small entrepreneurial business. I am now serving as an adjunct professor at Oxbridge College. My strengths include data administration, strategic planning, data warehousing, and relational database design, development and implementation."

Now you can craft a brief statement that conveys your professional objective, key qualifications, and uniqueness for use in conversations. Practice it aloud, so you’re ready to use it whenever you want to.