Brand
Gospel Insight
Every day, you are representing multiple names: your family, your school, your future employer, and your Savior. As members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, we are called to carry His name with us at all times (Mosiah 5:11–12).
“What people say about you when you are not around is your brand.”
Doctrine and Covenants 29:34 reminds us that “all things unto me are spiritual.” That includes your efforts to get an internship, polish a resume, or build a LinkedIn profile. As you shape your personal brand, you are doing more than marketing yourself—you are building a reputation of trust, faith, and integrity.
The Lord’s question might be: Does your brand reflect Me?
Project Roadmap
The Employment Communication Project is the first—and most foundational—project of your MCom 320 Internship. It consists of three assignments. First, you’ll work to determine and Articulate Your Personal Brand, then you’ll strategically choose two of the ten options for Employment Communication assignments. (Spoiler alert: it’s not just another worksheet.)
Why This Project Matters
Reason #1: The job market is not a meritocracy—it’s a storytelling contest.
Companies do not hire the “best” person, they hire the person who communicates most clearly and confidently about who they are and how they bring value. When you Articulate Your Personal Brand you determine who you are at your best, then practice communicating that. Your brand will become the backbone of your resume, the story behind your LinkedIn summary, and the motivation to pitch yourself confidently in all your professional interactions.
Reason #2: Your career will accelerate or stall based on self-awareness.
Getting a job is not the end of the story. You never stop communicating who you are and how you provide value. You’ll choose, from ten employment communication projects, two that will be useful to you now. They will help you keep your focus fresh, your materials connected with your purpose, and your identity clear. They’ll help you say yes when God asks you to step up in ways you can’t even anticipate yet.
This brand statement becomes the backbone of your resume, the story behind your LinkedIn summary, the elevator pitch you use in interviews, and the foundation for your cover letters and networking emails. If you take this assignment seriously, everything else in your job prep will be easier. Already employed? This assignment sets you up to land the next role down the road.
Watch this Video
Read the Textbook Chapter
This learning module should take you about 1 hour to complete.
By the end of this unit, students will be able to:
Articulate a clear and authentic personal brand grounded in their CliftonStrengths results and other relevant soft skills.
Evaluate and align professional communication tools such as LinkedIn, resumes, elevator pitches, and cover letters with their personal brand to support internship or job opportunities.
Demonstrate their personal brand in real-world contexts through customized employment communication experiences.
Disciplinary Writing
Students focus on a well-defined purpose—to know their audience and write to that specific audience.
Students will adopt a voice and tone specifically adapted to employment communication.
Oral Communication
Students will develop skills necessary to succeed in oral environments: networking events, informational interviews, job interviews, and delivering elevator pitches.
Knowledge of Conventions
Students will understand business-specific requirements for documents like resumes and cover letters and they will understand why certain styles work and others don't.
View BYU's Advanced Written and Oral Communication Learning OutcomesFaith in Christ
This unit invites students to see their personal brand not as self-promotion, but as a stewardship of their God-given strengths. By reflecting on their unique talents through tools like CliftonStrengths and presenting them authentically, students honor their divine potential and the call to serve others through meaningful work.
“Let your light so shine…” (Matthew 5:16). This unit helps students prepare to shine in a professional setting in a way that reflects their commitment to discipleship and purposeful contribution.
Respect for All
Students are encouraged to build a personal brand that is not only self-aware but also other-aware—framing their strengths in terms of how they contribute to teams, organizations, and communities. Respect is also emphasized through peer feedback and professional communication practices that value diverse audiences and perspectives.
Branding done well reflects humility and service, not ego. This unit reinforces that professional growth should uplift others, not compete destructively with them.
Integrity in Action
Authenticity is central to both personal branding and employment communication. Students are taught to align their public presence (LinkedIn, resumes, interviews) with who they truly are, avoiding exaggeration or misrepresentation. This fosters credibility and trustworthiness in professional relationships.
Students learn that the strongest brands are built on truth and consistency—key components of personal and professional integrity.
Excellence
The unit challenges students to communicate their value with clarity, confidence, and professionalism. Whether it’s refining a LinkedIn profile or delivering an elevator pitch, the expectation is that their work meets high standards—preparing them to represent both themselves and the Marriott School with excellence in any setting.
This commitment to continuous improvement and polish prepares students to stand out in competitive internship and job markets.
View the BYU Marriott School Mission and Values