Tell an irresistible story: Facts alone are dull, and lists of qualifications are just facts. To create a brand for yourself, you have to capture the imagination of your audience. Tell them something that makes them feel something (excitement, trust, confidence). Buried in almost every CV that Ive seen, there is a story of an achievement, or a skill, or an approach, which has the potential to help an individual stand out from the crowd. I have just reviewed a CV of a graduate looking for a PR role, in which (buried deep in the bullet points) was the fact that she had real experience of handling crisis PR for McDonalds. It turned out there was a powerful story in that point which was not being told. Another recent encounter was with a young marketing professional whose previous employer had described her as the most reliable person they had ever met. That simple statement is a powerful foundation for a story of how the person can bring real value to an employer. Resist the temptation to exaggerate or to invent: At all costs, resist. Great brands are founded on authenticity. You dont need to be anything other than you are: just to tell your story better. A classic example is to overstate levels of responsibility or of skill. But, depending on your personality type, it can also be tempting simply to add unnecessary swagger and false selfconfidence, in the manner of a contestant in The Apprentice. Straightforward presentation of what you might call a modest selfassuredness is much more appealing. Become not just irresistible but irreplaceable: The best way to build a brand reputation early on is by the way you act and the value that you add. Throw yourself into every opportunity to serve. Your enthusiasm and commitment to the organisation will be noticed and valued. When they are begging you to stay, youll know youve started to really build your brand.