Summary

The article emphasizes the importance of showcasing a company's unique qualities during the hiring process to attract potential candidates.

Abstract

The author, Sheila Musgrove, shares insights from her experience participating in a panel about personal branding at a conference. She highlights the importance of being memorable and not blending in, using her personal brand as an example. Musgrove then discusses the concept of being "remarkable" as defined by her author-mentor Seth Godin, which she applies to the hiring process. She suggests asking two "weird" questions when hiring: "What makes your company weird?" and "What makes your company remarkable?" The author believes that sharing these unique aspects of a company can create an emotional connection with potential hires and make the company stand out.

Opinions

Being memorable and not blending in is crucial for personal and company branding.
Companies should embrace their unique qualities and share them during the hiring process.
Sharing what makes a company "weird" can create an emotional connection with potential hires.
Being "remarkable" means being worthy of remarking about, and companies should strive for this in their branding.
Companies should share their unique story and remarkable aspects during the interview process.
Low turnover, long-serving employees, internal promotions, fun programs, and diverse employee base are examples of what makes a company remarkable.
Being "weird" is another way of being "darn interesting," and companies should not shy away from showcasing their unique qualities.

2 Weird Things To Tell A Candidate About Your Company.

Yes, weird.

I was delighted to be invited to participate on a panel about personal branding at a conference recently.

It was a ton of fun. And, holy smokes, my contribution struck a chord.

I started off with the quote that I used in my book, “Unexpected Mentors. Weird & Creative Ideas To Boost Your Career.”:

“Whatever makes you weird is probably your biggest asset.”

(Joss Whedon, screenwriter, director)

Really what the quote means is…Don’t. Be. Beige.

Be memorable.

Don’t blend in.

The obvious on my brand — my stand on end, stick up hair. :-)

I’m pretty clear on my personal brand.

Crazy hair.

Black suits or dresses.

Red laptop case.

A LOT of jewelry. And, it certainly isn’t dainty. HA.

And heels. Always.

(Sometimes they’re even steel toed stilettos. Smile)

I shared my author-mentor Seth Godin’s definition of being remarkable…

He defines “remarkable’ as “ being worthy of remarking about” .

I’ve used his litmus test of “being remarkable” in all of my marketing and branding of my company, books, keynotes and client swag. Be worthy of remarking about.

You need to do the same during your hiring process.

2 Weird Questions To Ask Yourself When Hiring:

1. What makes your company weird? GRIN.

Do you move a 10,000 cases of Bugles a day? Yes, those tasty, salty morsels that are impossible NOT to put on your fingers?

(I do have a client that does move that many cases of those treats…and yes, he’s admitted to putting them on his fingers too! HA)

Do you move 2 million gallons of milk a week in your distribution centre?

Do you have a warehouse filled with a million SKU’s for automotive parts?

Remember to share with future hires what makes your company weird.

Why?

It creates an emotion — you want to capture their curiosity too.

And, “weird” is another word for “darn interesting”!

2. What makes your company remarkable?

Here’s some ideas:

Low turnover

Longest serving employees

How many internal employees are promoted each year?

What fun programs do you have?

How many countries does your employee base represent?

What was your biggest day in corporate history? What happened?

It’s your story that makes your company remarkable.

Remember to share it in the interview process.

Be weird. We’ve already got enough beige. GRIN.

Thanks for reading!

GASP. Are You Inadvertently Giving Away Your AGE On Your Resume?

You need to keep your age, your secret.

sheilamusgrove.medium.com

You’re Not Too “Whatever”.

A sassy, but much-needed message.

medium.com

I write about recruitment, interviewing, resume writing, job searching…all with a dose of humour. (Yes, I’m Canadian…we leave the U’s in our words). I’ve authored two books, best-seller, “Hired! How To Get The Zippy Gig. Insider Secrets From A Top Recruiter.” & “Unexpected Mentors. Weird & Creative Ideas To Boost Your Career.” Both can be found on Amazon. www.sheilamusgrove.com