Sell Yourself and Not the Company

There is a common misconception thatworking in the same role you are when coming to
professionals that work for world brandedFortune 50 or 100 company. The size and scope
companies sometimes believe.....that their pedigreeof the operation dilutes the importance of your
gets them hired. People that have gone to worldeducational accomplishments and lumps you in
class educational institutions will be the first to saywith everyone else.
they graduated from Harvard, Yale, UCB, orDo not get caught in the trap. Focus on yourself
another highly regarded institute of higher learning.and not the companies you have worked for.
There is an inherent understanding that going toPush the performance and accomplishments of
one of these schools and being exposed providesyour career, making clear the impact you
a unique sense of accomplishment and thereforeprovided to the company and not the other way
will make someone a potentially better employeearound. When describing projects, briefly tell of
than say someone graduating from a communitythe overall objective but press forward with your
college. In the academic realm this is true,part specifically and detail the work you did, not
however in the business field - this commonthat of the company. If you worked on a major
practice does not carry the same weight.software development upgrade, speak to what
Just because you have worked for an EMC, IBM,you did...do not settle with telling the hiring
or BIG 4 firm does not necessarily mean thatmanager of your teams project only. Let them
you are qualified for the position you are recruitingknow how you impacted the project and where
for. It is nice to see large names on the resumethe major areas of focus were for your skill set.
and respectable companies that employ bestSpeak to projects that highlight the work
practices, however if your role was not criticalexperience that will benefit your potential
and provided no value - the name of theemployer.
company means little. One negative that the largeRemember, they are buying you...not your
companies have is that they hire ALOT of peopleresume or the name of some former employer.
and therefore working for them is not a eliteThey are looking for good people, not just
marker. It is quite possible that the same personpedigrees. Ensure to stay on task, speak to your
who went to the junior college next to Harvard isstrengths, and sell yourself.