Your brand makes your career – yes, a bold statement to make. But, bear with me in regards to my thinking on this.
When you got hired for your job, you had a certain set of skills and experiences your employer desired. Other’s in consideration may also have but you were chosen. Why? It was because they felt you would be the difference maker who would get the work done.
Essentially, you were hired for the brand you already have, even though you may not be aware of it. As I mentioned yesterday, a brand is created by the value you provide. You may be:
- a great project manager, pulling people and plans together to complete a task
- a big idea thinker, who can see outside the box
- a resource person who connects people or resources when needed
- someone with influence who can mediate in a conflict
- one who keeps calm in a crisis situation
- someone who has a positive outlook and attitude
These are just a few examples but are what comes to mind if you possess any of them. When a project or problem needs designed and followed through, you will come to mind when choosing someone to work on it; when resources are needed, you will be the one they call for help; when a conflict arises, and a resolution needs to happen quickly, you will be the one to mediate and find a happy solution.
In this respect, a brand can advance your career and bring opportunities you didn’t think might be possible. Understanding your value, or brand, will lead you to seek out promotions, speaking engagements, or making connections that will advance your career. You will always have a path as your skills, knowledge, and abilities (SKAs) get recognized and remembered. And that….is a having a brand.
Here are three quick steps to uncover yours:
- go back and look at all of your experiences, and their outcomes, to see the results you created (you need to have these in a job search or promotion); write them down in two columns, with one being the experience and one the results
- identify your value – compare and group similar results; don’t be surprised if one or two jump out and surprise you
- claim your brand and own it; come up with a short phrase that describes what you do when asked the age-old question, you can now easily provide a descriptor that comes to mind when a need arises – you will be the go-to person they need. For example, “I’m the resource person who can connect you to people or resources when you need help with…..” or “I’m the big picture, idea maker who can see outside the box for solutions to move projects forward”)
I’m sure you get the idea; have fun with this exercise and see what you can come up with. You can then use it in your introductions and your resume. The more you own your brand value, the more memorable you will become, having people think of you when opportunities arise. Be the one who takes action on this as it will put you head and shoulders above the crowd and will create a career path to be desired.
If you’d like to learn more, and how to get the most out of yourself, and your people, we’re here to serve. We have our Fableader program where we will:
- Look at your goals, challenges you are facing, and opportunities you might be missing.
- Uncover any hidden problems that may be sabotaging your desired results
- Create an action plan and implement it together so that you finally get the results you have been looking for but were unable to find.
- Address challenges that come up along the way, leaving you feeling renewed, re-energized, and inspired to take action and get faster results
If you’re ready to get started, contact us today to schedule your Fableader Breakthrough Strategy Session. barbara@cyscoaching.com Visit our website at http://cyscoaching.com and our blog at https://allaboutcareerssite.com.
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