What do you offer that nobody else can?
It’s become inescapable. Today’s marketplace is as competitive as ever, and to stand out and prosper you need to build your personal brand. We’re hearing it all the time, yet, I still get asked, “Why do I really need a personal brand?” and “I’ve gotten along without it until now, so why now?” or “Tell me again, how will a personal brand help me land a job?”
There are so many reasons why you need to build your authentic personal brand, but here are my top 5:
1) Nobody is going to manage your career for you. Your hiring manager, or supervisor, doesn’t have the time. You need to be your own boss. You need to create your own talent development program. And you need to be thinking about your career with every single thing you do – every agenda you write, every meeting you attend, every voice mail you return. Be deliberate in communicating the value you have to offer using your authentic personal brand.
2) Keep the job you have by consistently demonstrating your unique value. When the company is laying off employees, are you worth keeping? Have you taken the time to discover what’s relevant to the company, and made your talents resonate with that? It’s critical to use your personal brand to support the corporate brand, to keep your job.
3) If you find yourself, looking for a job in this crowded labor market, you need to stand out. You need an edge. You need to clearly communicate the unique value that you have, and use that to separate yourself from everyone else. What do you offer that nobody else can? What do you layer on top of your credentials and education that gets them excited about you? That is found in your personal brand.
4) A personal brand consistently “demonstrates” your value; it’s no longer enough to just “tell” them. When people google you, what do they find? Does it support and align with the things you have told them? Do they see and hear examples of your personal brand in action?
5) Create the visibility you need to reach your goals. When you pro-actively build your personal brand, you stay focused and not only achieve your goals, but you’ll do it in a way that’s fulfilling for you.
What can you add to the list?
photo credit, NixieMichelle
