How to be the unicorn candidate every company wants to hire

Believe it or not, unicorns exist outside of myths and legends.

In fact, author Gregg Herning believes they’re all around us. Some—like Elon Musk in business, New England Patriots coach Bill Belichick in pro sports, or Meryl Streep in Hollywood—are famous. But many more are not. Anyone who “eats, lives, and breathes innovation,” “despises mediocrity,” and “challenges conventional thinking,” is what Herning calls a unicorn.

You may even be one yourself. If not, Herning’s new book, Being the Unicorn: The Business Guide to Being Magical, Mystical, and Getting Noticed, is all about how to become one.

A quick read, the book is packed with tales from Herning’s own stellar career in the hotel and convention business that illustrate how he’s succeeded and helped others to shine by taking calculated risks and creating a reputation for shaking things up. “When a unicorn enters a room,” he writes, “a clear message is sent that things are about to change.”

Not everyone is comfortable being a unicorn—at least, not at first, Herning writes. But crafting a unique, memorable personal brand is vital at every stage of a career, especially when you’re looking for a job.

“Whether you’re just out of school and still finding your direction in life, or you’re a middle manager who wants to be more influential and move up, or a senior leader looking to make your mark, you need to craft a unique identity,” he says. “It’s about learning to be bold. After all, without the horn, a unicorn is just another horse.”

Monster recently spoke with Herning about how you can stand out in your job search.

Q. You point out that people often need to start with building their self-confidence. How can you be more self-assured?

A. Confidence earns respect. Yet, we all have a negative voice in our heads that sends a message of retreat and defense, a natural inclination to stay in a safe zone. Effectively quieting that voice, so we can open our minds to new ideas and then pursue them, isn’t as difficult as it may seem. The first step is acknowledging that the nagging negativity is there. Then, face the fear head-on.

For example, lots of people are afraid of public speaking, even though speaking to groups can be a powerful way to make people remember you and your personal brand. Quiet the negative voices in your head by finding new opportunities to speak. Start small. Even small presentations that might seem insignificant can take the power out of fear.

Q. Job interviews can make people almost as nervous, if not more so. Any advice to overcome interview anxiety?

A. As the interviewee, of course, you need to convey that you have the skills and background for the job. But, as a unicorn, remember: You want to leave the interviewer with a sense of what’s different and exciting about you.

Once you’ve covered the nuts and bolts, be ready to tell your story. What are you really all about? What do you want to know about this job, and this company, and why do you think you’ll be a great fit? Anyone can sit in an interview and answer a list of the same old questions. Instead, in a very professional way, take over the conversation. I can tell you that, as someone who’s interviewed many, many job candidates, the ones who do this are the ones I want on my team.

Q. Not every organization welcomes innovation. What can you do if you work for a manager who isn’t receptive to new ideas?

A. First, you can try to determine ahead of time whether an employer is going to squelch your efforts at making continual improvements. Lots of companies pay lip service now to innovative thinking and, thanks in large part to the influence of the technology industry, many places do encourage fresh ideas much more than they used to.

To get a sense of that, ask in a job interview whether innovation is sought after—and then ask for specific examples. In a truly innovative culture, an interviewer should be happy to talk about it. If not, that’s a red flag.

Reporting to a manager who rejects change out of hand is tough. You can try to gently nudge him or her toward considering new ideas, but ultimately, you may just have to find a different boss elsewhere.

Q. Can the right mentor help someone become a unicorn?

A. Absolutely! While you’re creating your personal brand, you don’t have to fly solo. Seek out a mentor, inside or outside of your current company, who is also a unicorn. They’re easy to spot. Study their moves and listen to their dialogue. Then, ask one to help you be a catalyst for change.

Q. You keep a ceramic replica of Rodin’s famous statue The Thinker on your desk. Why?

A. I take it with me to meetings, too. It’s my reminder to myself to devote some time each day to thinking. To be a unicorn, you have to be able to articulate to yourself where you stand on the issues facing you and your team, and to do that, you really need to take some quiet time.

We need to get away from reacting to our environment, especially checking emails, social media, phones, and so on, for at least 30 minutes a day. A daily commute can be an excellent chance to think. Or some people carve out half an hour in the evening after dinner for quiet thinking—often by watching one less TV show.

Be a unicorn job candidate

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Anne Fisher has been writing about career and workplace trends and topics since 1996. She is a columnist for Fortune.com and the author of If My Career’s On the Fast Track, Where Do I Get a Road Map?