[Editor’s Note: Removing roadblocks is my passion. It is one of my top “inner geek” attributes splattered across my own résumé!  Hmmmm…inner geek, branding, roadblocks….equals…..(thinking, thinking, thinking)…will revisit this later.]

Baby boomers (and even Gen X), removing barriers in résumé branding has never been easier!  At 80 years young, Clara Peller became a brand.

“Clara who?”

My response is simply:

“Where’s the beef?” (click link)

Simple branding lessons are to be learned from our burger beefing granny.

#1: Statement. Do you have a catchphrase that you use in your day-to-day environment? If so, consider incorporating your famous quote on your résumé. Be sure to place your ™ symbol following it if it is uniquely yours!

#2: Color. Yes…COLOR!  If you are still walking around in a world of black and white because someone in 1985 told you that your résumé HAD to be in black and white only, you will likely get results as you did in 1985.  This does not mean that you need to go crazy with your box of 64 colored crayon choices. But, it does mean you can use a splash of the primaries “youth”anizing your résumé.

#3: Billboard. Imagine you on a billboard. What would you tell the world in an 5 second drive by?  This my friends is a great place to start when thinking of your brand. What do you want to tell the world in 5 seconds or less?

#4: Exposure. Your brand is only as effective if you expose it to others.  Branding yourself begins with your online presence. Are you on social media? If you are on Linkedin.com, make sure you have a head shot so others can see you. Being mysterious is no longer covetable.

#5: Style. You have a professional style in meetings, on the phone, and in your work. What is your style on paper? Are you classic, contemporary, or couture?  Maybe a combination?  Determine your style and go for it!  Your résumé is your voiceless advocate. It must speak for you long before you show up and long after you have left.

When in doubt, reach out and ask questions of individuals who seem to have a grip on branding.  Your Gen Y’s and Millennials know branding…and oddly enough…so did Clara, more than 30 years ago!

[Editors note: grill burger this weekend! pickles, cheese, onion–no bun!]