Have you ever thought about your career as a branding campaign?  How you present yourself to employers?  Let's consider Brand: YOU.

Rising Above the Noise

Successful brands stand out among their competitors.  They rise above the base level to grab attention because of some unique aspect.  The same should be true for you whether you're in job search mode or simply in a job.

When you're being compared to others, you need to have something that separates you from the others - something that makes you stand out.  A while back, that could have been a fancy typeface or colored paper for a resume.  More recently, it could have been a website or online portfolio.

The only thing that doesn't get old quickly is value.  Building your brand means creating a memorable value proposition that differentiates you from your competition.  These aren't just buzzwords - they're the strategy to boost you to the top of the list.

The way to do this is to focus on your achievements, not what you do at work every day.  When job searching, most people make the mistake of listing their day to day duties, rather than showcasing what results from what they do.  Results are what capture attention, since employers want to imagine how you might contribute to their future success.

When you describe how you made your former employers successful, you tap into that wish to find the person who will help lift the company to new heights.  Brand equity is measured in achievements, like dollars or effort saved, innovative methods applied, or speed to market.

And don't be afraid to claim the win if you were only one member of a team.  Sure, you didn't do it all by yourself, but you've shown that you can contribute to a super group effort.

Make Some Noise of Your Own

Branding is about promoting yourself.  We're generally taught not to brag, and too often, any discussion of personal achievements feels like bragging.  It's not.

One of the realities of the work environment is that a job well done doesn't automatically result in recognition.  It takes a little (or more) self-promotion to get noticed.  Take a look around, and think about who gets promoted or a bonus.  It's the folks who do a great job and then let people know about it.

This is especially important in job search, since nobody you'll talk to will have any first-hand knowledge of you.  Simply put … "tell 'em what you did and how you did it."  Use "I" statements and the STAR technique - Situation or Task; Action you took; and Results you achieved.  No need to embellish or qualify, just the simple, straightforward facts. 

This is harder than it sounds.  It requires multiple edits of a resume and real, "out-loud" rehearsal for interviews or performance reviews.  You have to work hard to deliver a compelling value story.  Think about consumer branding again - what do you think it takes to create that 20 second commercial or eye-catching ad that imprints into your memory? 

Isn't Brand: YOU worth that kind of effort?

Repeat and Reinforce

Branding happens when the same clear message is repeated and reinforced until the Pavlovian response takes over.  The consumer comes to automatically associate with the qualities of the brand.  If these qualities are positive, it often leads to a particular brand preference. 

What are the qualities you'd like to associate with Brand: YOU?  Reliable?  Innovative?  Smart?  Energetic?  Come up with some adjectives- five is about the right number - that best describe your work-related persona. 

If you're in job search mode, be sure to include these descriptors (or synonyms) throughout your resume.  Then, be sure to reinforce Brand: YOU by working them into your interview responses. 

Another way to build your brand is to work these descriptors into your formal job evaluation, either by self-describing or soliciting your manager's opinion.  This last method is a bit risky, but better to know how you're perceived rather than live in a dream world. 

Look for opportunities to use these descriptors when talking about yourself and your work.  The more you repeat these words (within reason, of course), the more they will come to be subliminally associated with Brand: YOU.

Target Your Message to Your Audience

The best brands usually have memorable tag lines.  Unfortunately, you won't be able to get away with creating your own personal slogan.  But you can create a core idea & vision about yourself and then promote it whenever you can.  The critical challenge is to pitch your brand message properly for each target audience. 

Marketing is about segmentation.  Like any product, Brand: YOU has different audiences and your message needs to resonate correctly with each one.  Think about the ads and commercials you see - the ones you notice are likely the ones targeted to the consumer segment you're in.  The key to segmentation and targeting is research.

Whether you're trying to learn more about a potential employer or trying to position yourself for more visibility and opportunity in your current job, you need to do the proper research.  Understand your target's business model - what are they trying to achieve?  How do they brand their organization?  How do you configure your brand message to reinforce or capitalize on that knowledge? 

It's the synergies that will create Brand: YOU identity.

More

Finally, be attentive to the brand identity of your employers.  If all things are equal, pick the better known company.  Name recognition is everything when it comes to Brand: YOU. 

Questions?  Comments?  Feel free to write to me at Jamie@jobcircle.com.

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Jamie Fabian spent more than 15 years as a human resources executive before changing careers to become a senior project manager for a growing IT consulting company.  Now in management consulting for a large Pharma company, Jamie would like to be seen as a hybrid of Tom Peters, Tom Jackson, and Tom Wolfe, but spends too much time working, driving carpool and watching mindless TV to write more than this column.  You can contact Jamie with questions and comments at jamie@jobcircle.com.