The job market continues to change and so must your approach to finding a job. Personal Branding is the latest key to success for your job search. The market is very competitive and a Personal Brand will help you stand out from your competition.
You may be wondering though “what is personal branding and how do I implement it in my search?” In this three part series we cover the what, where, why, and how of personal branding.
Part 1 covered
What is personal branding?
Why should I implement branding in my job search?
http://rightchangesjobsearchcoach.blogspot.com/2011/06/another-job-search-essential-your.html
Part 2 covered
How do I identify my brand?
http://rightchangesjobsearchcoach.blogspot.com/2011/07/another-job-search-essential-your.html
In the third and final part of this series you will discover where to use your brand in your job search.
THE BASIC CONCEPT
The basic concept of personal branding is that your entire job search has a consistent message, look, and feel. Think of it as your ad campaign.
Other than Geico, which has multiple ad campaigns going at one time, the gecko, the talking money, and the Rod Sterling character, most companies only have one ad campaign running during a particular timeframe. You should be like most companies and only have one campaign going at a time.
Here is a list of things to check to be sure you are being consistent with your marketing materials:
Name: Do you use the same name on all of your marketing materials or do you have your formal name in some places and not others? Do you use a middle initial in one place but not everywhere?
Job Title: When you state what you are looking for, are you consistent with the job title? If you list various titles for the same job, do you list them in the same order?
Document Header: Is the header (content and format for your name and contact information) on your resume the same as on your networking guide and cover letter? This is like your stationery. If you laid out all of the pieces of your marketing material together on a table, would you instantly know they are for the same person without having to read the name?
Color and Font: If you have a website, is it the same color scheme as your business card? Do you have a logo or graphic that you consistently use for your marketing materials?
Consistent with the Product: Is your brand consistent with the product - you? Are you looking for a position based on its title or pay but is not consistent with what you can do or want? If you are looking for an upper management position, do you dress and groom like upper management? For instance I dress conservatively (suits) so my appearance would not be consistent with someone in fashion or a creative field.
Now let’s cover the specific places to add your branding message to your marketing materials.
IMPLEMENTING YOUR PBS AND TAG LINE IN MARKETING MATERIALS
RESUME
Tagline:
If you developed and want to use your tagline on your resume, it should go immediately under the header and is considered part of your header. If you have a horizontal line under your contact information, then the tagline can go under the graphic line.
Consider typing the tagline in italics and in title case (first letter of each primary word is capitalized). Decide if you want the tagline in color so it stands out when viewed or printed on a color printer. Realize however that if the recipient prints on a black and white printer it will show in a shade of gray so you may want to test printing it in black and white to see how it looks.
Personal Brand Statement (PBS):
You do not need to use both a tagline and personal brand statement on the resume. If you use both, do not use the exact same set of words. Example: my tagline is “The Affordable and Successful Job Search Coach”. If I use that on my resume and want to use my personal brand statement as well, I will want to use other words for “affordable” and “successful”.
If you use your personal brand statement in your resume it should go where you have a career summary. It can be used in place of your existing career summary or blended in.
Accomplishments:
Be sure to list your accomplishments in the section “above the fold” and under the job history that support your brand. If you don’t, your brand will ring hollow.
COVER LETTER
If you added your tagline to your resume header, you should add it to the header on your cover letter. You should always use the same on all of the job search documents you create.
Using the T cover letter format, you should be sure the qualifications you list support your brand. For more about the T Cover Letter go to:
http://rightchangesjobsearchcoach.blogspot.com/2011/04/most-powerful-cover-letter.html
BUSINESS CARD / CONTACT CARD
Side note: Every job seeker should have a business / contact card. In fact it has surprised me how many job seekers do not have or use one. My next article will be on the importance to job seekers of having a contact card.
It is essential that you add your tagline to your contact card. You may also want to add a few points from your Personal Brand Statement onto the card, maybe in bulleted format. Do not add the entire PBS to the card; it is too much text.
E-MAIL SIGNATURE BLOCK
If you use an e-mail system that has the feature to add a signature block to the e-mail (name, contact information), you want to preformat the signature to include your tagline.
If your e-mail system does not have that feature, open a Word document and develop a signature block yourself that you can use to copy and paste into your e-mails. That will also help make your correspondences more professional looking.
LINKEDIN & OTHER SOCIAL NETWORKING SITES
In your LinkedIn profile, you can include your tagline in the free form field under your name. Your entire profile, including your photo, should support your brand as well. Be sure to request recommendations from people who can attest to your brand. Your photo should be consistent with your brand.
Hiring authorities will search on-line for your name to see what is out there about you. Before they do, you should do a search on your name to discover what’s out there about you. Take the time to clean up your Facebook, MySpace, YouTube, and blogs from anything that could eliminate you as a candidate.
By doing an internet search on your name now you will know what is out there currently. What about new entries? There is a tool you can use to alert you to future mentions. Google Alert can be used to identify any mention of your name on-line that the search engine encounters. Note however, it will give you alerts for anyone and everyone with the same name. It is easy though to quickly review all alerts and delete the ones that are not relevant.
ELEVATOR PITCH
The basic elevator pitch includes your name, title, what you are looking for, and ends with a closing question in the form of a question. Your elevator pitch should also include your tagline whether you use the one you developed or a conversational version of it.
NETWORKING GUIDE
The networking guide is the one page document you should give to people in your network so they have something specific and actionable to do to help you in your job search. Just like with your resume and cover letter, the networking guide should include your tagline or brand statement.
INTERVIEW
When I worked in Information Technology (IT), I was known for taking over teams that were struggling and turning them around. I improved productivity and quality and increased customer satisfaction and employee engagement. That is what I want to communicate during an interview with an IT company.
During the interview, you want to be sure to communicate your brand, what you are known for, the value you bring, and how this company will benefit by hiring you.
Maintain your brand. Be sure other people know about you and the value you bring by participating in in-person networking and LinkedIn groups.
Develop new skills, increase self-awareness, expand your network, and evolve your brand as you evolve.
TO FIND OUT MORE
There are some fabulous books on the market about personal branding. They include but are not limited to the ones listed here. If you have recommendations about other books on personal branding, please e-mail me the titles and authors.
Me 2.0, Revised Edition by Dan Schawbel
Career Smart: Five Steps to a Powerful Personal Brand by Sherri Thomas
Managing Brand You by Jerry S. Wilson / Ira Blumenthal
Judi Adams is the Affordable and Successful Job Search Coach. In addition to her coaching practice, Ms. Adams is a keynote speaker and her blog of job search articles are read world-wide. Ms. Adams is about to publish her first book. Stay tuned for more about her upcoming, one of a kind, book about the job search.
Saturday, July 23, 2011
Sunday, July 3, 2011
Another Job Search Essential: Your Personal Brand - Part 2
The job market continues to change and so must your approach to finding a job. Personal Branding is the latest key to success for your job search. The market is very competitive and a Personal Brand will help you stand out from your competition.
In this three part series we will cover the what, where, why and how of personal branding.
What is personal branding?
Why should I implement branding in my job search?
How do I identify my brand?
Where do I use it?
In Part 1, we covered what is personal branding and why you should implement it in your job search. The link to that article is:
http://rightchangesjobsearchcoach.blogspot.com/2011/06/another-job-search-essential-your.html
Part 2: How do I Identify My Personal Brand?
Now that you understand how branding will set you apart from your competition in your job search, you need to know what that brand is.
You actually already have a brand. Hopefully before you updated your resume you inventoried your skills, abilities, accomplishments, values, interests, etc. If not, that is where you want to begin. Your brand is a combination of how you are unique, what you want to do, and how the company will benefit from this.
Ask these questions:
• What am I known for?
• What is my expertise or what am I an expert at handling?
• What do I do better than others and enjoy doing?
You can start identifying your brand by noticing the trend in the things you have done for other companies that you enjoyed doing and became known for.
Picture your boss holding a box that contains a problem or situation. The boss is looking at you and your peers and asking himself, “Who is the best person to take care of this problem or situation?” What is the problem or situation in that box where you are the best person to give “it” to?
The “it” should be something you enjoy doing and you should have at least three separate examples or STARs that support your claim at being good in this area.
Brainstorm
Start to write down ideas that come to you as you review the list of accomplishments you documented. Do not edit the words or ideas; just let them flow.
Once you have jotted your thoughts, verify that they can be supported by at least three separate accomplishments. If what you did was fabulous but you only did it once at one company, that is not your brand.
Then start to form your Personal Brand Statement which is 3-4 lines long. When I am working with clients on their brand statements, I make sure I have a blank MS Word document open so I can type in the various words and use the Thesaurus to see if there are better words that more concisely communicate the idea.
Once you have a tight PBS then find the most powerful concepts to create your brief your tag line (no more than around seven words).
Test It Out
Now try out your personal brand statement and tag line on someone else to be sure it “works”. Ask the other person if your PBS and tag are clear and clearly communicate your audience, your value to the audience, what you want to do, and how you are unique at it. Then share with them the three STARs you feel support the brand.
Next: Where to Implement Your Brand
Now you have two parts of your brand. In the next and last installment you will learn how to incorporate your brand in your entire job search.
*1 For more on STARs, go to
http://rightchangesjobsearchcoach.blogspot.com/2009/06/power-of-your-star-statements.html
By Judi Adams, the Affordable and Successful Job Search Coach. In addition to her coaching responsibilities, Ms. Adams is a keynote speaker and her blog of job search articles are read world-wide. Ms. Adams is about to publish her first book. Stay tuned for more about her upcoming, one of a kind, book about the job search.
In this three part series we will cover the what, where, why and how of personal branding.
What is personal branding?
Why should I implement branding in my job search?
How do I identify my brand?
Where do I use it?
In Part 1, we covered what is personal branding and why you should implement it in your job search. The link to that article is:
http://rightchangesjobsearchcoach.blogspot.com/2011/06/another-job-search-essential-your.html
Part 2: How do I Identify My Personal Brand?
Now that you understand how branding will set you apart from your competition in your job search, you need to know what that brand is.
You actually already have a brand. Hopefully before you updated your resume you inventoried your skills, abilities, accomplishments, values, interests, etc. If not, that is where you want to begin. Your brand is a combination of how you are unique, what you want to do, and how the company will benefit from this.
Ask these questions:
• What am I known for?
• What is my expertise or what am I an expert at handling?
• What do I do better than others and enjoy doing?
You can start identifying your brand by noticing the trend in the things you have done for other companies that you enjoyed doing and became known for.
Picture your boss holding a box that contains a problem or situation. The boss is looking at you and your peers and asking himself, “Who is the best person to take care of this problem or situation?” What is the problem or situation in that box where you are the best person to give “it” to?
The “it” should be something you enjoy doing and you should have at least three separate examples or STARs that support your claim at being good in this area.
Brainstorm
Start to write down ideas that come to you as you review the list of accomplishments you documented. Do not edit the words or ideas; just let them flow.
Once you have jotted your thoughts, verify that they can be supported by at least three separate accomplishments. If what you did was fabulous but you only did it once at one company, that is not your brand.
Then start to form your Personal Brand Statement which is 3-4 lines long. When I am working with clients on their brand statements, I make sure I have a blank MS Word document open so I can type in the various words and use the Thesaurus to see if there are better words that more concisely communicate the idea.
Once you have a tight PBS then find the most powerful concepts to create your brief your tag line (no more than around seven words).
Test It Out
Now try out your personal brand statement and tag line on someone else to be sure it “works”. Ask the other person if your PBS and tag are clear and clearly communicate your audience, your value to the audience, what you want to do, and how you are unique at it. Then share with them the three STARs you feel support the brand.
Next: Where to Implement Your Brand
Now you have two parts of your brand. In the next and last installment you will learn how to incorporate your brand in your entire job search.
*1 For more on STARs, go to
http://rightchangesjobsearchcoach.blogspot.com/2009/06/power-of-your-star-statements.html
By Judi Adams, the Affordable and Successful Job Search Coach. In addition to her coaching responsibilities, Ms. Adams is a keynote speaker and her blog of job search articles are read world-wide. Ms. Adams is about to publish her first book. Stay tuned for more about her upcoming, one of a kind, book about the job search.
Tuesday, June 21, 2011
Another Job Search Essential: Your Personal Brand
The job market continues to change and so must your approach to finding a job. Personal Branding is the latest key to success for your job search. The market is very competitive and a Personal Brand will help you stand out from your competition.
You may be wondering though “what is personal branding and how do I implement it in my search?” In this three part series we will cover the what, where, why and how of personal branding.
What is personal branding?
Why should I implement branding in my job search?
How do I identify my brand?
Where do I use it?
Part 1: What is Personal Branding and Why Should I Implement Branding in My Job Search?
We are familiar with the concept of brands in marketing. Wikipedia reminds us it is the collection of experience and associations with [what we think and feel related to] a service, person or any other entity [like a product].
In 1997, Tom Peters coined the term personal branding and the concept has slowly made its way into the competitive job market.
Personal Branding for Job Seekers
Personal branding in the job search actually involves your entire job search; it is not just something you put onto your resume or business card. Think of it as your ad campaign.
Your brand is the consistent message about the value you bring and what you are looking for. Your brand offers a consistent look and feel to your marketing materials (example: the same header is used on your resume as on your cover letter) and even a consistent use of your name (example: with or without middle initial), and consistent colors and fonts. Most of all, your brand needs to be consistent with the product - you.
There are some terms you may hear about Personal Branding. USP is your Unique Selling Proposition. That is the one thing that differentiates you from your competition and benefits others. ROI is return on investment. In the job market the ROI is the benefit the company realizes when they hire you.
You are Unique
As I tell my clients and when I’m out speaking to groups, there is something about you that is unique to you. Whatever “it” is, it comes easily to you and, since it does, you minimize it in yourself. You think “that’s no big deal, that easy”. Yes, to you! The rest of us would give our left arms to be able to do that the way you do. Since you are not a good judge of what makes you unique, you have to ask people who know you and therefore know what that special something is about you.
Years ago I participated in an outplacement class. The facilitator asked us to share with the group something for which we are known. The first two people mentioned something that they are known for cooking wise. It got me thinking: I fix a great Derby Pie (chocolate chip) that has won awards at local bake offs. It is so easy to fix I even thought I could whip one up that night and bring it in the next day so they could see for themselves how good it is. However, the facilitator called on me next and said “from you I want a work example”.
Well! He wasn’t going to get my pie now. I thought and thought “work example huh?” and the co-worker to my left said “Are you kidding me?” From that I took her to mean that she had thought of something for me, so I asked her for her idea.
She reminded me that when I took over the support team, we were not loved by our internal customers. In order to determine the problem, I set up separate meetings with each customer and asked them what it was that the team did well and what areas did we need to improve. She went on to remind me that when I assured them that I would turn things around and make them “raving fans”, they not only trusted me enough to give us a clean start but they even invited me to their internal meetings, where IT (my department) had never been invited to before. She was saying that I earn people’s trust quickly.
My first internal thought was “So? That’s no big deal”. Then I thought back to other times where people trusted me quickly and completely. This is one way I am unique and thanks to Angela I am now aware of it and have had it affirmed over and over again.
You too are unique. You have a reputation with those who work with you. You are known for something and you want to leverage that reputation to stand out from your competition.
In Part 2 we will cover how to identify your brand. For now let’s talk about the parts of your brand.
Personal Brand Statement (PBS)
The PBS is a detailed statement, three to four lines in length, which powerfully communicates the fundamental trait that differentiates you. Your PBS must include an indication of who is your audience, your value to the hiring company, and your uniqueness.
Tag Line
The other item for your branding is a tag line. The tag line is a one sentence, catchy phrase about your uniqueness. This must convey the same basic message as your PBS about the value you bring and your uniqueness.
Think back to some of the most famous tag lines in the world of advertising. FedEx’s “When it absolutely, positively has to be there overnight.” clearly communicates who the audience is (people who ship things and are in a hurry) and the value FedEx brings and how they are unique (it WILL get there overnight).
Why Should I Create a Brand?
Branding is becoming a staple in the job market because you are in essence selling a product and you want to stand out so the customer (the hiring authority) remembers you and the value you bring.
You already have a reputation at work; the brand is just leveraging it to demonstrate your uniqueness and generate a curiosity about you.
Your brand also identifies the type of company and position that is a fit for you. Let’s say you are known for and enjoy the challenge of turning companies around. You would not be a fit for a company that is looking for someone to come in and keep things running as they are. That company also would not be a fit for you because it would be a waste of your talents.
No Brag, Just Facts
If you want to sell a product, you have to be able to recount its virtues or you won’t get the sale. I work with people though who were reluctant to talk about themselves and it usually goes back to the way they were raised. They were taught that it is wrong to brag. I agree you should not brag; fortunately I am not asking you to. Your brand is based on fact.
I use a lot of analogies; my analogy for how your brand is not bragging is that of an artist. An artist who wants to sell some of their art would carry an artist’s portfolio filled with samples of their work. You will agree it would be absurd for the artist to refuse to show the art to prospective customers. Instead, the artist would open up the portfolio and lay out the art, step back, and let the other person judge for himself. You would not consider this bragging, would you? No!
With your brand and with your STARs *1, you are stating facts. Bragging would be to say “I’m great” or “I’ve done it before and I can do it again” without providing supporting details. Instead, lay the facts on the table (your STARs and brand) like you did the art and let them judge.
Next in the Series
In Part 2 of this three part series we will discuss ways to identify your brand and in Part 3 we will examine where to implement your brand.
*1 For more on STARs, go to http://rightchangesjobsearchcoach.blogspot.com/2009/06/power-of-your-star-statements.html
By Judi Adams, the Affordable and Successful Job Search Coach. In addition to her coaching responsibilities, Ms. Adams is a keynote speaker and her blog of job search articles (RightChangesJobSearchCoach.blogspot.com)are read world-wide. Ms. Adams is about to publish her first book. Stay tuned for more about her upcoming, one of a kind book about the job search.
You may be wondering though “what is personal branding and how do I implement it in my search?” In this three part series we will cover the what, where, why and how of personal branding.
What is personal branding?
Why should I implement branding in my job search?
How do I identify my brand?
Where do I use it?
Part 1: What is Personal Branding and Why Should I Implement Branding in My Job Search?
We are familiar with the concept of brands in marketing. Wikipedia reminds us it is the collection of experience and associations with [what we think and feel related to] a service, person or any other entity [like a product].
In 1997, Tom Peters coined the term personal branding and the concept has slowly made its way into the competitive job market.
Personal Branding for Job Seekers
Personal branding in the job search actually involves your entire job search; it is not just something you put onto your resume or business card. Think of it as your ad campaign.
Your brand is the consistent message about the value you bring and what you are looking for. Your brand offers a consistent look and feel to your marketing materials (example: the same header is used on your resume as on your cover letter) and even a consistent use of your name (example: with or without middle initial), and consistent colors and fonts. Most of all, your brand needs to be consistent with the product - you.
There are some terms you may hear about Personal Branding. USP is your Unique Selling Proposition. That is the one thing that differentiates you from your competition and benefits others. ROI is return on investment. In the job market the ROI is the benefit the company realizes when they hire you.
You are Unique
As I tell my clients and when I’m out speaking to groups, there is something about you that is unique to you. Whatever “it” is, it comes easily to you and, since it does, you minimize it in yourself. You think “that’s no big deal, that easy”. Yes, to you! The rest of us would give our left arms to be able to do that the way you do. Since you are not a good judge of what makes you unique, you have to ask people who know you and therefore know what that special something is about you.
Years ago I participated in an outplacement class. The facilitator asked us to share with the group something for which we are known. The first two people mentioned something that they are known for cooking wise. It got me thinking: I fix a great Derby Pie (chocolate chip) that has won awards at local bake offs. It is so easy to fix I even thought I could whip one up that night and bring it in the next day so they could see for themselves how good it is. However, the facilitator called on me next and said “from you I want a work example”.
Well! He wasn’t going to get my pie now. I thought and thought “work example huh?” and the co-worker to my left said “Are you kidding me?” From that I took her to mean that she had thought of something for me, so I asked her for her idea.
She reminded me that when I took over the support team, we were not loved by our internal customers. In order to determine the problem, I set up separate meetings with each customer and asked them what it was that the team did well and what areas did we need to improve. She went on to remind me that when I assured them that I would turn things around and make them “raving fans”, they not only trusted me enough to give us a clean start but they even invited me to their internal meetings, where IT (my department) had never been invited to before. She was saying that I earn people’s trust quickly.
My first internal thought was “So? That’s no big deal”. Then I thought back to other times where people trusted me quickly and completely. This is one way I am unique and thanks to Angela I am now aware of it and have had it affirmed over and over again.
You too are unique. You have a reputation with those who work with you. You are known for something and you want to leverage that reputation to stand out from your competition.
In Part 2 we will cover how to identify your brand. For now let’s talk about the parts of your brand.
Personal Brand Statement (PBS)
The PBS is a detailed statement, three to four lines in length, which powerfully communicates the fundamental trait that differentiates you. Your PBS must include an indication of who is your audience, your value to the hiring company, and your uniqueness.
Tag Line
The other item for your branding is a tag line. The tag line is a one sentence, catchy phrase about your uniqueness. This must convey the same basic message as your PBS about the value you bring and your uniqueness.
Think back to some of the most famous tag lines in the world of advertising. FedEx’s “When it absolutely, positively has to be there overnight.” clearly communicates who the audience is (people who ship things and are in a hurry) and the value FedEx brings and how they are unique (it WILL get there overnight).
Why Should I Create a Brand?
Branding is becoming a staple in the job market because you are in essence selling a product and you want to stand out so the customer (the hiring authority) remembers you and the value you bring.
You already have a reputation at work; the brand is just leveraging it to demonstrate your uniqueness and generate a curiosity about you.
Your brand also identifies the type of company and position that is a fit for you. Let’s say you are known for and enjoy the challenge of turning companies around. You would not be a fit for a company that is looking for someone to come in and keep things running as they are. That company also would not be a fit for you because it would be a waste of your talents.
No Brag, Just Facts
If you want to sell a product, you have to be able to recount its virtues or you won’t get the sale. I work with people though who were reluctant to talk about themselves and it usually goes back to the way they were raised. They were taught that it is wrong to brag. I agree you should not brag; fortunately I am not asking you to. Your brand is based on fact.
I use a lot of analogies; my analogy for how your brand is not bragging is that of an artist. An artist who wants to sell some of their art would carry an artist’s portfolio filled with samples of their work. You will agree it would be absurd for the artist to refuse to show the art to prospective customers. Instead, the artist would open up the portfolio and lay out the art, step back, and let the other person judge for himself. You would not consider this bragging, would you? No!
With your brand and with your STARs *1, you are stating facts. Bragging would be to say “I’m great” or “I’ve done it before and I can do it again” without providing supporting details. Instead, lay the facts on the table (your STARs and brand) like you did the art and let them judge.
Next in the Series
In Part 2 of this three part series we will discuss ways to identify your brand and in Part 3 we will examine where to implement your brand.
*1 For more on STARs, go to http://rightchangesjobsearchcoach.blogspot.com/2009/06/power-of-your-star-statements.html
By Judi Adams, the Affordable and Successful Job Search Coach. In addition to her coaching responsibilities, Ms. Adams is a keynote speaker and her blog of job search articles (RightChangesJobSearchCoach.blogspot.com)are read world-wide. Ms. Adams is about to publish her first book. Stay tuned for more about her upcoming, one of a kind book about the job search.
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