| Find the Right Fit With Personal Branding
By Megan Martin
If you were asked to describe the personal brand of Michael Jordan or Oprah, you could likely identify it in a few words.
But what if you were asked to consider your personal brand? Would you be able to answer?
Most of us see branding as part of the foreign world of celebrities and major corporations. What we don’t realize is that it’s also an important part of our future careers.
“Employers want people with a sparkle in their eyes, people who have a plan, because these are the people who perform.” says John Folkestad, co-founder of SALO.
In his mashable.com article “Personal Branding 101: How to Discover and Create Your Brand,” writer Dan Schwabel notes:
“Personal branding, by definition, is the process by which we market ourselves to others. As a brand, we can leverage the same strategies that make these celebrities or corporate brands appeal to others. We can build brand equity just like them.”
If you aren’t sure how this applies to you, or where to begin, here are some tips:
1. Define Your Brand
Viewing yourself as a brand may sound odd or even difficult, but it doesn’t have to be.
Folkestad says the mistake people often make when considering what they want to do for a living is that they don’t consider who they really are.
“Most people say ‘I want a job,’ ‘I want to make money,’ and ‘I want to be done at 5.’ But what they need to discover is what truly drives them,” he says.
He recommends paying special attention to what you’re passionate about:
“Branding is about where your passions lie,” says Folkestad. “You need to sit down and think: What are my passions and interests? What do I like and dislike?”
Rather than defining yourself as an accountant or a salesperson, think about what you truly thrive on in life and work.
“If you’re a person who feeds off of interaction with people, that’s an important part of your brand,” says Folkestad. “The bottom line is to try to find what you love, what your strengths are, and then brand yourself as the unique person that you are.”
If your current message is: “Hi, my name is Susan. I’ve been in accounting for ten years and I’m looking for an accounting position,” think bigger. What do you really want? To help a new company move up to the next level? To collaborate with other creative thinkers to help an organization reinvent itself? How do your unique strengths and interests translate into ways you can help a company succeed?
2. Market Your Brand
So you’ve discovered your personal brand. Now what do you do with it?
“Take your message and sell it,” says Folkestad. “Start networking with people who share your dreams and goals.”
If you’re working with a recruiter, it’s key to let them in on your newfound brand. “This allows recruiters to do a better job because they know your back story and passion and can help you find a company that is a good match for what you want.”
In the contemporary world where networking dominates much of our lives, the number of opportunities for marketing your brand are practically limitless.
In his Businessweek Online article, “Expand Your Personal Brand a la Perez Hilton,” Schwabel recommends using blogs, podcasts, social networking sites, or other mediums to put yourself out there.
“Share your content across online communities so you can talk directly to your target audience and listen to what they have to say…join discussions, provide free resources, and support the current members of the community by answering their questions…build your community from the ground up by connecting with new faces and bringing new people into your world,” he says.
He also recommends doing specific research to see which markets may have voids that you can fill with your unique skills, experience and passions.
When writing resumes and cover letters, sell yourself as the unique person that you are.
3. Final Advice
You’ve connected with new contacts and companies, scored the interview, and now you are walking in the front door. You’re home free, right? Not quite.
“You have to make sure the company is really in line with what you want,” says Folkestad. “There are companies out there that market themselves as one thing, but in actuality their brand is much different.”
Ask questions. Does this organization share your core values, or are there key areas where you feel you’re not on the same page? Do you need flexible work hours, while they require you to work 8-5 and on Saturdays? Will you be challenged? Is this a place where you’ll thrive?
Ask to spend some time with current employees or to tour the facility to get a sense of what the environment is like. Speak with as many people as you can about their experiences. See if you can imagine yourself there, and whether you’ll truly fit in.
“You have to look out for yourself first,” says Folkestad. “Understand what you need and make sure you’ll get it, while giving the company what they need. You need to find a position where these two are aligned.”
Folkestad offers a few final words of advice: “It's so important that you start now. Don't focus on what you could do, but rather on what you should do. And don't wait.”
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