Often, students don’t have the necessary skills needed to communicate their experiences and stories in an impactful way to the workforce. Developing critical skills such as storytelling and communication, we can help students be better prepared to share their impact. Learn storytelling and online branding techniques to enhance communication efforts.
So, Tell Me About Yourself: Personal Branding & Storytelling as Job Readiness Skills
We’ve heard it before, “I just need someone to show up on time, dress appropriately, and work...” When it comes to preparing students to be reliable, resilient, successful employees- we know there’s more to it. Often, our students have not developed the necessary skills needed to communicate to employers that they can get the job done. The ability to communicate one’s own skill set is essential to navigating and advancing within the workforce. Without these skills, they will lack the ability to make a connection or lasting impact during an interview. Like organizations and companies, individuals -- especially our students-- need to be able to reflect and communicate electronically their skills via personal story/branding. We can better prepare students for the world of work by equipping them with the essential job readiness skills of communication and storytelling by utilizing a ground-breaking interpersonal approach to student development.
Not often addressed in traditional college courses, but necessary to every student regardless of sector or industry, practicing and developing one’s personal story is essential to navigating the world. Students need to understand the importance and impact of the messages they send. Today the platforms for sharing these narratives are endless. From compelling resumes and cover letters to an effective online presence on LinkedIn to the many pages of Google results that appear, students need to be prepared to navigate this ever changing online landscape. Students can utilize these tools to their advantage and need to be able to communicate the return on investment.
As educators, we need to give our students the opportunity to practice the skills they’ll need to develop and communicate their story in a way that helps a future employer understand the connection between their needs and a student’s skills and experiences. This career readiness approach aims to develop critical skills such as communication, storytelling, self-awareness, reflection, and adaptability. It also contributes to a foundation that can be built upon as students begin building a network, interviewing for work based-learning experiences and full time employment, and developing their careers.
Geared toward all audiences, this hands-on workshop will introduce the concept of personal storytelling and branding as an approach to communicating impact. Participants will learn to develop and refine their personal story and use OER developmental tools we’ve created to encourage the development of personal narrative. Through hands-on activities that fuel creative thinking, participants will brainstorm and begin the process of developing their story and think about ways to integrate into their work. Upon returning to their institutions or organizations, participants will be able to integrate and apply the elements of personal storytelling and brand development with their students.
Meaningful and measurable learning outcomes for this workshop:
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Participants will be able to identify elements and impact of personal branding
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Participants will learn about online tools for personal storytelling and brand development
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Participants will begin to develop/refine their personal brand
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Participants will leave with tools to begin utilizing these techniques within their student interactions