Step 1: Take some time to reflect on how you would answer the following two prompts:

First, what is your brand? By this, I mean what is the first impression that you present to potential employers? What are your strengths? What are your weaknesses? What makes you unique or different? Second, how could this information be communicated to organizations through the means of a novel and creative situation wanted ad and how would you go about making your situation wanted ad visible to prospective organizations?

When it comes to my brand as an employee, I bring several skills to the table. I am highly motivated, driven, focused, and have excellent people skills. Being in the food and service industry for over five years has taught me a lot about what it takes to work in a fast paced environment while succeeding in your tasks. I strongly believe in communication, so I do my best to introduce myself to management and my coworkers as well as try to get an understanding of how they run their organization. I’m also goal oriented, so I like to know what the company is trying to achieve and do my best to help get us there. I have also learned what makes someone a good employee, starting with the interview process, which is another valuable asset that I have. In my personal experience, my employers have given me more opportunities to learn and grow because they knew my major and knew what I wanted from that job. And even though I’m not an expert, they still ask for my input on certain situations if I’ve learned about a similar situation in my classes. Getting to know your employer will benefit in the long run because they know who you are as an individual and you establish a relationship with them.

If I was to establish a situation wanted ad based on my brand, I would include that I can work in high-stress environments while maintaining a level head. I have worked at Starbucks for several years, at a mall during Christmas, at several children’s camps, and assisted with many public events. I am able to come up with solutions to issues on the spot during peak hours and help ease customer tension when things go wrong. I would also include that I have a flexible schedule and an eye for detail. Human Resources and Project Management are what I am most interested in, so I would use sites like Indeed, OSU’s Handshake, LinkedIn, and social media to communicate to employers. I could also send my friends or peers my ad in case they have connections. With how widespread the use of the internet is, media is the best way to get your information out faster. I would also edit my resume to match the highlights of my ad and bring physical copies to companies that are hiring (how I’ve gotten most of my jobs). When I talk to employers, I do my best to seem confident and like I know what I’m talking about. I am very straightforward, which is part of my approach to open communication.