Big name brands define their overarching purpose in one simple sentence and everything they do is in service of that goal. Can you define your own career so clearly?
In this blog, we’ll consider the mission statements of big name brands and we’ll discuss what recruiters can learn from them.
Big Brand Mission Statements
Note: there’s a difference between a unique selling point (USP) and a mission statement. A USP is what differentiates you from your competitors. A mission statement is your main goal. It’s what you’ve set out to achieve.
Here are some famous mission statements to consider:
Amazon
To be the Earth’s most customer-centric company, where customers can find and discover anything they might want to buy online, and endeavours to offer its customers the lowest possible prices.
Simple, straightforward, and when you consider what Amazon does, not debatable. Their online store is full of products you’d struggle to find elsewhere at a better price.
To give people the power to share and make the world more open and connected.
Facebook’s purpose is clearly defined in the above mission statement. The social network’s billion users lend credibility to its goals.
To give everyone the power to create and share ideas and information instantly, without barriers.
Twitter aims to democratise communication. Their online service certainly makes it easier to share ideas, providing users with the potential to reach a global audience.
To connect the world’s professionals to make them more productive and successful.
The social network for professionals does provide great networking tools and it does facilitate business communication.
A quick run through then, but each of the above are good, succinct examples of how you can distil your goals into one easy to understand mission statement. That sort of clarity doesn’t come easily though. Those companies have spent time narrowing down and honing their focus into one matter of fact sentence. Can you define yourself so efficiently?
The Importance of Purpose
Each brand relies on its mission statement to provide purpose, clarity, and direction. Perhaps the most telling thing is their purpose is so clear we all know what it is simply by interacting with their brand. Each brands’ message rings out from everything they do.
For those same reasons, recruiters should focus on their own, personal mission statement. By making your purpose clear, you become defined by it and everyone knows you for the things you’re good at. But how do you find that sort of clarity?
You Need to Be Authentic
The first thing to note is that your purpose must feel authentic. It not only has to resonate with you, but with the people you encounter professionally. The mission statements we’ve considered aren’t in any way objectionable because they make immediate sense. The second thing to note is that everything you do has to add value to your mission statement. It’s never a finished thing either; you should keep working on it until everyone you know would agree with your definition of your career path.
Defining Your Goals
Then, decide who you want to be and what you want to be known for. If you want to be the top billing medical recruiter in Scotland, what milestones do you need to pass? That means thinking about the agency you work for. Can they help you achieve that definition? It also means attending relevant industry events, networking with professionals in your sector, and joining in conversations that let you get your voice heard. In this way, you build your reputation and become known in the right circles.
Your Story
A mission statement gives you a story, or at least a blurb of sorts. It provides a context for your career. When it comes to talking with clients and candidates, it means you can screen them more efficiently. If they don’t clearly slot into your mission statement, then consider other options. You don’t want your goals to become diluted. Your overarching goal means that you always know what you need from an interaction.
Sharing Your Vision
There’s no use having a mission statement if you keep it to yourself. You need to communicate it with your manager and you need to show them how it relates to the job you’re in. Becoming known for something specific means you can specialise and promote a niche service. This can be of benefit to your agency too.
Remember: there’s a distinction between your mission statement and the one belonging to the agency you work for. It’s unlikely that Jeff Bezos, CEO of Amazon, has the exact same goals as the company. Instead Amazon allows him to realize his own, or at least get closer. So, understand what you want to achieve professionally. Then marry that, as best as you can, with your current employer. It’s all about having a trajectory and knowing how everything you do adds to your overarching mission.
- Image 1: Designed by Freepik
- Image 2: Designed by Freepik
