Big Question: Why are equally qualified people getting hired (or promoted?) while you’re still waiting?
Short Answer: They’ve turned their reputation into a brand—and James Ellis shows you how to do the same in under a week.

Most of us can describe Apple or Nike in three words, but freeze when we have to do the same for ourselves. Employer-branding legend James Ellis joins Rachel to flip that script and show you how to borrow branding tools from leading companies to future-proof your career.

5 Big Takeaways:

1. Brand = Promise. It’s the feeling you create before anyone meets you.

2. Narrow beats broad. Be “famously useful” to 20 hiring managers, not anonymous to a thousand.

3. Your resume is a commercial. Show the value you create, prove it once, then stop talking.

4. AI is a power-up, not a cheat. Feed ChatGPT the JD + your resume to surface hidden gaps & angles.

5. Every weakness hides a strength. Identify yours, rethink what strengths it provides, and lead with it.

Listen and learn ⬇️

Timestamp Topic 00:02 Why personal branding just became a career survival skill 08:17 Mission, experience, reward—the 3 levers of any brand (including yours) 15:42 How to stand out when 1,000 “perfectly qualified” people apply 24:30 Resumes as commercials: the 3-bullet rule that gets callbacks 35:05 Using AI (yes, ChatGPT) to decode a job description & tailor your pitch 46:58 Turning “weaknesses” into career-edge strengths 55:40 James’ 3-step game plan to build a personal brand this week 59:40 Homework: pick 3 words you want people to use to describe you

Meet the Guest
James Ellis is the brains behind Employer Brand Labs, host of The Talent Cast podcast, and author of Talent Chooses You. He’s helped Fortune 500 employers magnetize talent...and today he helps us magnetize opportunity. Find him at EmployerBrandLabs.com or on LinkedIn.

Links & Resources

• Full video on YouTube: youtube.com/@ShiftHappens4u

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