While the summer season is coming to a close, it doesn’t mean that your career has to take the back seat. If you are considering some type of change in your career, consider whether you want to change the role, the industry – or both. Often changing the type of role that you are doing and making a radical shift to a completely new industry can be challenging.
If you have been away on vacation or busy doing other things, now is the time to reinvest in yourself. Whether it means taking that needed course to obtain certification, having your resume polished or your LinkedIn profile customized, you owe it to yourself and to your career development to take the next leap forward. Part of investing in yourself, however, means managing your personal brand.
Self-Reflection and Career Exploration of Your Personal Brand
To help you figure out your personal brand, identify what you are already recognized for. You may have already positioned yourself as an expert in a certain niche, but you may just not know it yet! To have a strong personal brand, you must be clear about who you are and who you are not. Take some time to figure out what you want to be recognized for and note these qualities.
Compile a thoughtful list of words and phrases — things you have worked with, things you have achieved, specific training gained, projects you have worked on or led, and valuable life experiences. Are there any common themes?
The other piece of the personal brand puzzle involves going through your performance reviews. What do other people say about you? What have they commended you on? Can your personal branding statement be said about anyone else with your same job title? If so, it needs more work.
Does your personal brand identify who you are, but also align with the elements that prospective employers value? For instance, ask yourself, what problem or challenge is the company trying to solve? Does your personal brand position you as the innovator or leader to solving that problem?
Is your personal brand expressed throughout your career communication documents — on your résumé, LinkedIn profile, professional biography and other supporting documents? The resume should articulate your unique value proposition
which is part of your overall personal brand, as the employer will look for this factor.
Your personal brand needs to express these three things:
A clear message of who you are; the experience you have; and how you can be an asset to the employer.
Is your personal brand: authentic, relevant, or compelling? Does it set you apart from others?
Does your online profile/presence complement and reflect consistency with your offline brand?
Always ensure that you keep your personal brand fresh and do not be afraid to leverage your creativity to experiment with enhancing your brand. Managing your personal brand is an ongoing process and involves much reflection and exploration. Consult other professionals and colleagues for constructive feedback.
When you can identify and describe your personal brand, then you are able to take the steps to manage it in order to grow both personally and professionally. Contact Lori Jazvac, Certified Resume Strategist/Career Consultant for more information.