The Importance of Personal Branding
Yesterday, the Oregonian announced the state of Oregon has officially reached 10.8% unemployment. Considering I am self-employed and have many close friends and family members who are unemployed, this is a sobering number to see. It means the economy is in tough straits, but we already knew that. What it also means is that things will get worse before they get better, and there will be even more competition for the best jobs tomorrow than there was yesterday.
The truth is, in most industries, “experienced professionals” have become a commodity. An MBA is a dime a dozen. Thirty years of experience are no weightier than three. No matter how qualified you might be, there are at least ten other equally qualified individuals standing in line – and one of them might be willing (or able) to take a slightly lower pay rate than you. If you’re unemployed, or even just on shaky ground, you’ve wound up on the wrong end of a buyers market. Now more than ever it’s important that you understand how to brand yourself in order to stay competitive.
A lot of different people understand the concept of “brand you,” but is personal branding really more important in a down economy?
Absolutely!
As you dust off your resume and get your suit cleaned for the next interview, ask yourself a very important question. “What makes me different from the guy in the next interview?” Are you more of an expert in just-in-time supply chain management? Does your expertise in market research analysis earn you the occasional column in Marketing News? While your raw qualifications might be echoed on every other resume in the job market, there is some kind of personal flair present in everything you do. Understanding what makes you different and makes you the expert in field (as opposed to an expert) is the essence of your personal brand.
If an employers says, “We need to hire an MBA with 10 years of experience in consumer packaged goods,” they’ll be able to do just that. You, your cousin, and everyone else who fits that profile will be knocking on their door asking for an interview. Those that get the interview will be asked for salary requirements. Those desperate enough will drastically undervalue themselves just so they can make their next mortgage payment. While this might work in the short-term, it’s setting both the employer and the employee up for eventual failure.
Even if the employer still voices the same need, they are thinking, “And it has to be someone who enjoys sports and can work entertaining basketball metaphors into marketing briefs.” Every company – every hiring manager – has this hidden sub-text in what they need. If your resume speaks to your education and marketing experience, but your personal brand stays silent there is absolutely no reason you should get the second call.
If you mention the NBA draft in the small talk get-to-know-each-other section of the interview, though, you might just have that chance.
Finding the perfect job fit is like finding a spouse, though. You can’t just jump in to bed together and expect things will work out for the best. The interview process is like dating – you feel out one another’s personality and brand looking for a fit. In most companies, the brand is evident in everything from the tone of the first phone call to the decor of the reception area. How evident is yours?
Good article. The worse the economy gets, the more important personal branding is. I’m glad you drew up that relationship!