Job Searching with Social Media For Dummies
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Perhaps you have a long list of words to describe yourself that’s perfect for branding yourself during your job search. That’s great, but a hiring manager doesn’t have the time (or the interest) to sit down and read through your list.

You need to winnow down all those great, descriptive words into a short list of no more than three in order to create a memorable sound bite. Forcing yourself to choose three words also helps you prioritize your personal branding message. And this focus ties in to your value statement, résumé, and any other decisions about your image.

Take this opportunity to look through your list of words. Are there patterns that emerge? What, if any, are some themes you can identify? If you were to get a phone call right now and were asked for the three words that define who you are, there should be no hesitation as you reply, “Integrity, helping others, and courage” (or whatever three values best apply to you).

Consider this example of a really great and memorable business card. It was from a senior technologist who called herself a database wizard with personality. One simple phrase was really the perfect representation of her character, personality, and skill. The goal here is for you to have your own sound bite.

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Joshua Waldman, MBA, is an authority on leveraging social media to find employment. His writing has appeared in Forbes, Huffington Post, Mashable, and the International Business Times. Joshua's career blog, CareerEnlightenment.com, won the About.com Readers' Choice Award for Best Career Blog 2013. Joshua presents keynotes, trainings, and breakout sessions around the world for students, career advisors, and professional organizations.

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