BONUS: Unconventional UVPs For Job Seekers
Previous articles in this series on Personal Branding For Job Seekers:
Power Persona templates
These are unconventional Unique Value Proposition (UVP) templates designed to be attention-grabbing and help you stand out in a variety of ways, depending on how you want to be perceived by others.
What do you want to be known for? Innovation? Visionary leadership? Problem solving skills? Driving growth and exceeding expectations?
These templates will help you communicate your unique value in just a sentence or two. You can use them as LinkedIn headlines, in your social media bios, on your business card, etc.
The Problem Solver
Effective for highlighting unique problem-solving skills, leadership in challenging situations, or the ability to deliver exceptional results.
Structure: The [bold, attention-grabbing title that encapsulates your key strength]: I’m the person you call when [extreme situation that highlights your unique value]. I’ve [specific example of past achievement] in my career, [quantifiable impact].
Example: The Miracle Worker: I’m the person you call when everyone else says ‘it can’t be done.’ I’ve turned around three failing projects in my career, saving companies over $2 million in potential losses.
Example: The Turnaround Titan: I’m the person you call when a company is on the brink of collapse. I’ve resurrected three Fortune 500 companies from near-bankruptcy in my career, resulting in a combined market value increase of $12 billion within 24 months.
The Innovator
Effective for highlighting creative problem-solving, innovative thinking, and the ability to drive significant improvements through unconventional methods.
Structure: The [Role Archetype that encapsulates key strength]: I don’t just [common approach]; I [innovative approach]. My last [unconventional action] resulted in [specific, quantifiable outcome].
Example: The Innovation Catalyst: I don’t just think outside the box; I redesign the box. My last ‘crazy idea’ resulted in a patented process that cut production costs by 40%.
Example: The Efficiency Alchemist: I don’t just streamline processes; I reinvent them. My last ‘outrageous proposal’ resulted in a workflow overhaul that boosted team productivity by 75%.
The Transformer
Effective for highlighting your ability to drive significant positive change, especially in challenging environments or situations.
Structure: The [Transformative Title that suggests significant change or improvement]: I’m a [metaphorical description of role or ability]. In my [previous/recent] [role/experience], I [change you implemented or led]that [measurable impact] in [timeframe].
Example: The Culture Transformer: I’m a corporate culture alchemist. In my previous role, I transformed a toxic work environment into a thriving, collaborative team that increased productivity by 65% in just six months.
Example: The Team Catalyst: I’m a group synergy sculptor. In my recent project leadership role, I united a fragmented global team into a cohesive unit that delivered projects 40% faster in just three months.
The Skill Specialist
Effective for highlighting specialized skills, consistent high performance, and the ability to deliver measurable results.
Structure: The [title that encapsulates a key strength using a metaphor or pop culture reference]: I [unique ability] that [what sets you apart from others in your field]. My [specific achievements] have [quantifiable impact] in [scope or timeframe].
Example: The Efficiency Ninja: I find inefficiencies that others miss. My process improvements have saved an average of 20 hours per week per team member in my last three positions.
Example: The Revenue Alchemist: I uncover profit opportunities that others overlook. My strategic initiatives have increased annual revenue by an average of 30% in my last four projects.
The Results Amplifier
Effective for sales, business development, or any role where exceeding targets and driving significant results is crucial.
Structure: The [Results Amplifier]: I don’t just [standard expectations in your field]; I [how you exceed them dramatically]. I’ve consistently [quantified metric on how you perform relative to peers or industry standards] and [specific, quantifiable accomplishment] in [recent timeframe].
Example: The Revenue Magnet: I don’t just meet sales targets; I shatter them. I’ve consistently outperformed my peers by 200% and brought in $5 million in new business last year alone.
Example: The Client Conquistador: I don’t just retain accounts; I grow them exponentially. I’ve consistently increased client spend by 150% year-over-year and expanded our key accounts portfolio by $3.5 million this quarter alone.
The Talent Enhancer
Effective for roles in HR, talent management, leadership development, or any position where improving individual and team performance is crucial.
Structure: The [title that emphasizes your ability to develop and improve individual and team performance]: I don’t just [common talent management goal]; I [how you achieve superior results]. My [specific program/initiative/strategy you implemented] has a [quantifiable measure of your program’s effectiveness] in [specific improvement you achieve] within [timeframe].
Example: The Employee Whisperer: I don’t just retain talent; I make them thrive. My mentorship program has a 95% success rate in turning underperformers into top contributors within six months.
Example: The Team Catalyst: I don’t just build teams; I create high-performance units. My collaborative leadership framework has a 90% success rate in boosting team productivity by at least 50% within just three months.
The Visionary / Fortune Teller
Effective for roles requiring innovation, strategic foresight, or the ability to capitalize on emerging trends. It combines a demonstration of your predictive skills with tangible business outcomes.
Structure: The [title that emphasizes foresight and leadership in your field]: I [predicted/identified/anticipated] [specific trend] [timeframe] before [widespread adoption]. My [ability that allows you to stay ahead] has [benefit to employers] and [quantifiable impact].
Example: The Digital Trendsetter: I predicted the rise of TikTok as a marketing platform two years before it exploded. My foresight in digital trends has kept my employers ahead of the curve and increased market share by 15%.
Example: The Tech Futurist: I foresaw the rise of voice commerce a full year before it gained traction. My ability to anticipate tech shifts has positioned my clients as early adopters, resulting in a 25% boost in customer acquisition rates.
The Situation Expert
Effective for roles that involve managing high-stress situations, problem-solving, or turning negatives into positives.
Structure: The [title that highlights your specialty in handling specific challenges]: When [challenging scenario], I’m the [your key positive attribute in these situations] in the [metaphor for challenge]. I’ve successfully [specific accomplishment], turning [negative outcomes] into [positive results].
Example: The Crisis Whisperer: When chaos strikes, I’m the calm in the storm. I’ve successfully managed three major PR crises, turning potential disasters into opportunities for positive brand reinforcement.
Example: The Talent Magnetizer: When skill gaps threaten growth, I attract top performers. I’ve overhauled hiring strategies for 4 tech startups, reducing recruitment time by 60% and improving retention by 75% in 1 year.
The Connector
Effective for highlighting interdisciplinary skills, innovative thinking, and the ability to create unique solutions by drawing from diverse areas of expertise.
Structure: The [title that emphasizes your ability to bridge different areas]: I [unique action showing how you bring different areas together]. My [diverse background/skills] in [Field A] and [Field B] led to [innovative outcome] that [quantifiable impact].
Example: The Cross-Pollinator: I bring unexpected industries together. My unique background in both neuroscience and marketing led to a groundbreaking customer engagement strategy that increased retention rates by 40%.
Example: The Edu-Gaming Innovator: I gamify learning for maximum engagement. My skills in child psychology and game design produced an educational app that increased math proficiency scores by 35% among struggling students.
The Value Dual-Optimizer
Effective for roles that require balancing multiple stakeholder interests, driving sustainable growth, or innovating in corporate social responsibility.
Structure: The [title that emphasizes your ability to achieve multiple, seemingly conflicting objectives]: I prove that [seemingly conflicting goal A] and [seemingly conflicting goal B] aren’t mutually exclusive. I implemented [specific strategy/action] that not only [positive impact A — beneficial outcome often related to social responsibility or sustainability] but also [positive impact B — beneficial outcome often related to business performance or profitability].
Example: The Ethical Profit Maximizer: I prove that doing good and making money aren’t mutually exclusive. I implemented sustainable practices that not only reduced our carbon footprint by 30% but also increased profits by 25%.
Example: The Conscientious Growth Driver: I demonstrate that employee well-being and productivity growth can go hand-in-hand. I designed a flexible work program that not only improved work-life balance scores by 40% but also boosted overall output by 20%.
