Your personal brand is more than just a resume — it's the story you tell about yourself through your skills, experiences, and online presence. Whether you’re networking, updating LinkedIn, or preparing for interviews, a strong personal brand can set you apart in a competitive job market.

Here’s how to build a compelling brand that reflects your strengths and career goals.

1. Define Your Unique Value

Think about what makes you stand out. What are your key skills? What industries excite you? What problems do you love solving? Your personal brand should reflect your passions, values, and strengths. To gain clarity, consider writing a personal mission statement that summarizes your career goals and what you bring to the table. Or, you can schedule a career exploration appointment with a Career Specialist at the Career Center. We can help!

2. Optimize Your LinkedIn Presence

Your LinkedIn profile is often the first impression recruiters and potential employers have of you. Make sure it reflects your best self by:

• Using a professional headshot and a clear, compelling headline that’s aspirational.
• Writing an engaging summary that highlights your skills, career goals, and personality.
• Showcasing relevant work experience with descriptions of your achievements with attached relevant media.
• Incorporating industry relevant keywords and skills throughout your profile as much as possible.
• Actively engaging with the community by commenting on posts, sharing relevant information, contributing industry insights, and connecting with professionals in your field.

3. Tailor Your Resume and Online Portfolio

Your resume and portfolio should be more than just a list of job titles — they should tell a story. Highlight your most impactful experiences and quantify achievements when possible. If applicable, create an online portfolio to showcase your projects, work samples, or even testimonials from colleagues. Think of this all as evidence that ties your accomplishments to your brand.

4. Perfect Your Elevator Pitch

You never know when an opportunity to network will arise, so be prepared with a 30-second commercial that clearly states:

• Who you are
• What you do (or what you aspire to do)
• What makes you unique
• What you’re looking for in your career

Practice your pitch so that it feels natural and confident. Consider using Big Interview and practicing in real-time to the question, “Tell me about yourself.”

5. Stay Consistent Across Platforms

Your brand should be cohesive across LinkedIn, resumes, cover letters, and even personal social media accounts. Consider what font styles, colors, and tone you want to incorporate across all your materials so they’re consistent and a clear embodiment of you. Employers often check social media, so ensure that your online presence aligns with your professional goals. If necessary, clean up your profiles by removing any unprofessional content, or consider looking into privacy settings.

6. Build and Maintain Relationships

Networking is an essential part of personal branding. Build authentic relationships by engaging with mentors, alumni, and professionals in your field, using platforms like Retrievers Connect or LinkedIn. The more visible and engaged you are, the more likely you are to be remembered when opportunities arise.

What’s Next

Want to refine your personal brand and maximize your career potential? Attend the upcoming Keys to Success Workshop on Unlocking Your Personal Brand to learn how to authentically showcase your brand and take control of your career journey!

Virtual career fairs are a convenient and effective way to connect with potential employers from anywhere. With the GCC Virtual Career Expo coming up on March 5, now is the perfect time to prepare so you can make a strong impression on employers and maximize your job and internship opportunities.

Here’s how to navigate a virtual career fair successfully:

1. Register and Research Companies Beforehand

Before the event, register here and explore the list of participating employers. Review their websites, job postings, and company culture to identify those that align with your career goals. Make a short list of employers you hope to visit at the virtual career fair. This should be done in order of priority to ensure you don’t miss out on your top choices.

2. Optimize Your Resume and LinkedIn Profile

Update your resume with relevant experience and skills, and have a PDF version ready to upload when you register. Also make sure that your LinkedIn profile is optimized and polished—employers may check prior to the fair to see who they’d like to speak to. If you need help with either of these materials, you can schedule a 1:1 appointment with a Career Advisor.

3. Prepare Your Elevator Pitch

Have a 30-second commercial ready that highlights your background, skills, and career interests. Tailor it for different employers and practice delivering it confidently. If you want to practice in a more simulated environment, log into Big Interview and practice your pitch in response to the “Tell Me About Yourself” prompt.

4. Dress Professionally and Set Up Your Space

Even though it’s a virtual fair, dressing in business casual attire helps make a positive impression should you be invited to speak 1:1 with employers, and can even help you get into a more professional mindset. Find a quiet, well-lit space with a neutral background to minimize distractions.

5. Engage Actively and Ask Thoughtful Questions

Should you be invited to chat with an employer, be professional and engaged. Have questions ready beforehand and ask about the company culture, job opportunities, and the hiring process. Express interest in specific roles rather than just saying you’re looking for a job. You can review job postings within the fair that you can reference in these conversations.

6. Follow Up with Employers

After the fair, send thank-you emails or LinkedIn messages to the employers you connected with 1:1. Reiterate your interest in their company and remind them of your conversation by mentioning something specific and memorable that you discussed. Don’t forget to include the specific job posting you’re interested in as well.

Ready to Register?

The GCC Virtual Career Expo is an excellent opportunity to connect with top employers looking to hire graduate students, postdocs, and alumni from the STEM, Humanities, and Social Sciences fields. Don’t forget to register today and start preparing for a successful job or internship search!

The day you've been preparing for has arrived.

The doors open, and you get in line. You have your padfolio and resume in hand. Your outfit is wrinkle free and freshly pressed.

You're ready to go except there's one problem. You have NO IDEA what you want to say.

Does this sound familiar? Here are five tips so you don't find yourself unprepared for a speed networking event ever again.

1. Make a Good First Impression. Confidently approach the employer, give good eye contact (and a firm handshake if you're comfortable with it), and introduce yourself with a lot of energy and enthusiasm. 
   
   
2. Prepare Your Elevator Pitch. This is an important part of your conversation, so make it count! You'll be telling the employer who you are, what you do, and what you are hoping for in the interaction. If you want to know more specifics about what goes into the elevator pitch, you can check out this post here. 
   
   
3. Focus on Relationships. Remember why you are at this speed networking event: to meet employers and build relationships. By keeping the conversation relationship-centered and focusing on a true give-and-take process, you're guaranteed to have a more positive experience by helping each other. 
   
   
4. Ask Good Questions. Because speed networking is fast-paced by nature, you might find yourself talking about yourself too much and missing out on the opportunity to make a meaningful connection. To avoid this from happening, be ready with a few good questions in mind so that it's a two-way conversation. Here are some informational interview questions to help you get started. 
   
   
5. Go in with a Goal in Mind. In order to assess the quality of the conversation, ask yourself what you'd like to accomplish by the end of the event. Are you looking for a full-time career opportunity? A part-time internship? Or informal mentorship? Use the goal you've set to help drive your experience.
   

Keep these tips in your back pocket and you'll walk away from the next speed networking event feeling optimistic and encouraged. Need a place to practice? Check out the CAHSS Career Connection Social happening on Thursday, March 7 from 5:00 to 7:00 PM. 

You've submitted your event registration. You have your resumes on hand and ready. You've got your power outfit picked out.

It may seem like you've got everything you need for a successful networking event but there's one more crucial piece of the puzzle: your pitch.

What is a pitch exactly? Usually taking about 30 seconds, your elevator pitch (or commercial) allows you to introduce yourself and make your personal brand known to employers. It's essentially the first impression that you make, so having your pitch well practiced and ready is important when approaching employers.

Keep these tips in mind when crafting your pitch. And if you want somewhere to practice, join us at the UMBC Connects event with ERT on Wednesday, February 28^th from 11 AM to 2 PM.

• Make a Strong Start. Exude confidence when you make an introduction. Have good eye contact, stand up straight, and give a firm handshake (if you're comfortable with it). Clearly introduce yourself and speak at a steady pace so you're understandable.
• Honor Your Personal Brand. Show your authentic self and establish who you are right out of the gate. Be ready to explain what motivates you to do what you do. You should also be able to very clearly express your why.
• Sell Yourself with Ease. After introducing yourself it's time to get into the heart of your pitch: your accomplishments. Highlight academic achievements, internships, other relevant experiences, and your strengths. Be clear, concise, and persuasive, and make sure there's evidence to back up your claims.
• Deliver with Poise. Before the fair you must practice, practice, and practice some more. Your pitch should not sound scripted or over rehearsed. Your goal is to make a memorable impression when you meet employers. Make sure that your delivery sounds natural but also confident.
• Close the Deal. The end of the pitch is when you tie your experiences back to the employer. Share how your goals and accomplishments can benefit the company you're pitching. They should easily connect the dots on how you're bringing value to them.

Marketing yourself is no easy task, but it's necessary when it comes to the job market. We hope these considerations were helpful. Feel free to check out this webpage for additional tips, and go to Big Interview to practice answering the question "Tell me about yourself." Best of luck out there and happy pitching!