Getting Started
After creating your brand statement, you can adapt it for your CV or resume summary, LinkedIn summary, and portfolio or website (if you have one). Please see examples of the brand statement and its adaptations below.
Key Takeaways
- Use the criteria from Pave Your Pathway to develop this content.
- Can be in first person or without pronouns; best to avoid third person because it can sound awkward.
- Use your brand statement as a diving board to help you build your resume summary, LinkedIn summary, and portfolio biography (examples listed below).
Brand Statement Example 1
Product manager leveraging a background in customer service to deliver client satisfaction through leadership and technical know-how. Often tagged by management to train new employees and lead initiatives to drive sales and customer satisfaction. Earned a certificate in product management from [school name] to hone skills in agile frameworks as well as product management life cycles, among others. Collaborated on projects including overcoming obstacles and delivering development work to a client. Enjoy cross-functional group efforts to meet goals and overdeliver on client expectations.
Brand Statement Example 2
Product manager with leadership experience and technical know-how. Previous experience includes project planner for the Carnival cruise line, where I oversaw the execution of nightly shows and managed a team of 53 staff members. Additionally, I completed the product management certificate at [school name], where I developed knowledge and experience in agile frameworks as well product management life cycles, among others. Planned, launched, and successfully executed a series of televised shows aired by Carnival and, in previous roles, have led teams of varying sizes to meet company goals. Excited to combine product optimization and management experience to continue leading teams to success.
Brand Statement Example 3
Personable and passionate product manager who has led teams for Bank of America, Wells Fargo, and Wachovia. Additionally, I recently completed the product management certificate from [school name], where I continued to build upon my knowledge and experience in agile frameworks and product management life cycles. Able to see the business aspect and technical aspect of a project to best suit the needs of every project and employer.
Adapting for the Resume Summary
Key Takeaways
- Must not include pronouns.
- Omit details listed elsewhere on the resume for conciseness (e.g., education, a full list of technical skills, specific achievements or projects). The exception to this is if you want to emphasize a qualification, such as the 2U Inc., parent company of edX, program, at the top of the resume.
- Summary should be three to five sentences where you highlight a mix of the role you want at graduation, achievements, and soft skills. If an employer has two candidates with the same tech skills, they will defer to the summary to see if there is something that sets you apart from the other candidates.
Example 1
Product manager leveraging a background in customer service to deliver client satisfaction through leadership and technical know-how. Often tagged by management to train new employees and lead initiatives to drive sales and customer satisfaction. Enjoys coordinating group efforts to meet goals and overdeliver on client expectations.
Example 2
Product manager with leadership experience and technical know-how. Previous experience includes project planner for the Carnival cruise line; oversaw the execution of nightly shows and managed a team of 53 staff members. Completed the product management certificate at [school name]. Planned, launched, and successfully executed a series of televised shows aired by Carnival and, in previous roles, have led teams of varying sizes to meet company goals. Excited to combine technical training and management experience to continue leading teams to success.
Example 3
Personable and passionate product manager who has led teams for Bank of America, Wells Fargo, and Wachovia. Recently continued to build upon knowledge and experience in scrum, agile frameworks, and software and project management life cycles by completing the technical project management certificate from [school name]., Able to see the business aspect and technical aspect of a project to best suit the needs of every project and employer.
Adapting for the LinkedIn Summary (“About” Section)
Key Takeaways
- More similar to the brand statement than the CV or resume summary.
- First person is ideal, but omitting all pronouns is okay. Third person should be avoided, since it can sound awkward.
- You can use your brand statement as is on LinkedIn, but there is flexibility in formatting. The content can be expanded if desired but should avoid listing every detail about your experience, skills, etc., since those are listed in sections underneath in your profile.
- Might include an invitation to connect at the end (great for those wanting to expand their network).
- LinkedIn instructions on adding bullets and links to your profile: https://www.linkedin.com/help/linkedin/answer/1237/formatting-text-or-adding-links?lang=en
Example
I’m a product manager able to leverage a background in customer service to deliver client satisfaction through leadership and technical know-how. Often tagged by management to train new employees and lead initiatives to drive sales and customer satisfaction. I enjoy coordinating group efforts to meet goals and overdeliver on client expectations.
Qualifications include an MBA from [school name] and a certificate in product management from [school name].
I bring the following to every project:
- Problem-solving skills and perseverance
- Experience in leadership roles, having managed dozens of staff and projects
- Dedication to teamwork and flexible collaboration
- A foundational knowledge in agile frameworks
Eager to connect with you to learn more about what I can do for your organization.
Adapting for the Portfolio Bio (Not an Employer-Ready Requirement)
Key Takeaways
- Most similar to the brand statement and LinkedIn summary.
- Can include personal interests or hobbies that demonstrate how they make you a better project manager or how they fuel and inspire your work. For example: “Fun fact: My first website was built as a photo portfolio (i.e., shrine) of my cat, Jinx. No matter how far the UI has come, she still doesn’t approve of it.”
- Might include an invitation to contact with a link to the portfolio’s “Contact” section or page.
Example
I’m a product manager able to leverage a background in customer service to deliver client satisfaction through leadership and technical know-how. I recently earned a certificate in product management from [school name] and previously obtained an MBA from [school name].
I bring the following to every project:
- Problem-solving skills and perseverance
- Experience in leadership roles, having managed dozens of staff and projects
- Dedication to teamwork and flexible collaboration
- A foundational knowledge in agile frameworks
When I’m not coordinating projects and delivering efficiency, I enjoy photographing natural landscapes, trying out a new recipe, or honing my skills with short courses.
I’m excited to leverage my skills in the future as part of an efficiency-driven team. Reach out to me to chat about our next project here [hyperlink project link if applicable].
