Career Articles
The 7 P's of Personal Branding
by Paul Copcutt, CPBS
"...Or consider the notion, made popular in this magazine, of the Brand
Called You. This signature story in 1997 argued that we should imagine
ourselves as brands and manage our professional lives accordingly.
Often discredited, if not ridiculed, as unemployment climbed higher, that idea turns out to be every bit as relevant now as it was then. The difference, as author Tom Peters points out, is that in good times, the Brand Called You was a luxury.
Now as companies continue to
discard employees like used Kleenex, you have no choice but to actively
market your personal brand. No one else will do it for you."
John A Byrne – Editor – Fast Company, March 2004
The World of Careers & Job Searching
Less than 30 years ago we were told that our career would be
spent with one company from leaving school to retirement...now our
career is spent with numerous companies in more than one industry.
Less than 20 years ago we were told that the biggest challenge in the 21st century would be what to do with our leisure time… now our challenge is maintaining a successful career and a work-life balance.
Less than 10 years ago we were told that we were entering a long period of prosperity and unlimited opportunity… now our economies are recovering, but people have not made the career moves that they have wanted to.
Less than 5 years ago we were told due to the retiring boomer generation the shortage for talent would be so great that we could name our price...now the big job news is off-shoring and delayed retirement for many.
There is one thing that we can all be certain of over the next 5, 10, 20, and 30 years - the job market and how our careers are defined will be in constant change.
We cannot necessarily predict
where the world will be, but we can take greater control of our careers
and position our success through personal branding.
Branding
We are exposed more and more to the power of branding. It is
estimated that the average North American is bombarded with as many as
3,000 different advertising messages everyday! Companies spend millions
on that very advertising because in the past it has been proven to;
- Support premium pricing
- Extend product lines
- Increase company valuations
- Enable survival in downturns better
- Even attract better talent to organizations
Celebrities are now also heavily involved in the branding process
through the products they endorse and their own “persona's” that are
presented to us as brands. You just need to look at Martha Stewart,
Jack Welch or Tiger Woods to see the power of celebrity branding.
So Why Not Personally Brand?
William Arruda, the personal branding guru, best sums up personal
branding as "Clearly communicating the unique promise of value that you
have to offer". It helps you to clarify and communicate differences and
specialties, and use those qualities to guide your career. Also, the
process in formulating your brand assists you in understanding your
strengths, skills, passions and values; and using them to separate
yourself from your competitors.
What to Consider- The 7 P's of Personal Branding
- Personal – Your values and passions. What values impact you and what drives you?
- Perception – What are your attributes? Develop a focus group, ask for input, collate responses and consolidate.
- Potential – What else can you uncover? What other hidden talents do you possess?
- Positioning – Who are your target audiences? What segments? Who are your competitors in the job market?
- Performance – Can you, and have you, delivered? Develop a Personal Brand Statement.
- Packaging – How does your resume look? What about your cover letter and portfolio? How do you present yourself? How are you priced?
- Planning – Plan your professional path. Promote you and re-brand where necessary.
What Can You Do Right Now As You Job Search?
One of the strongest and most effective personal brand tools is your portfolio. If you do not have one, you are missing a fantastic opportunity in every meeting and interview to showcase your brand.
Start to put one together. Including all relevant documents that are
good examples of your brand. Invest in a presentation folder that keeps
all documentation together in either chronological or project order.
Include examples that will highlight:
Your unique skills – what people have said about you in reviews or letters/e-mails of praise. Or alternatively, use specific tools to gather external feedback on your attributes and strengths, such as the 360 personal branding tool.
Your achievements – certificates, letters of praise and thanks, actual sales figures or other specifics. These make for great show and tell in an interview.
Your involvements in influential projects – examples of where you have been utilised in, or led, a project or job and made a difference. If you have specifics through measurable results such as $ or %’s, include these as they are really golden.
Bottom line is that, as stated in that opening quote: “… you have no
choice but to actively market your personal brand. No one else will do
it for you.” You cannot afford to rely on others to control
or direct your career anymore. You have to look at developing and
nurturing your brand for job search and career success.
