The Ultimate Career Move: Developing Your Personal Brand

Whether you want to develop your own practice or are looking for a position working for someone else, you need to give a great deal of thought to your personal brand.

Seth Godin defines a brand this way:

A brand is the set of expectations, memories, stories and relationships that, taken together, account for a consumer’s decision to choose one product or service over another. If the consumer (whether it’s a business, a buyer, a voter or a donor) doesn’t pay a premium, make a selection or spread the word, then no brand value exists for that consumer.

You can read his entire post on brand here.

Now each of us, with the resources and power of the internet can have a brand. We can share our story. set expectations, and build relationships that express who we are and what our business values.

By branding ourselves, we make it easier for potential clients to choose to work with us or potential employers to hire us.

Let’s look at  a few folks who have personal brands that build their business:

Chris Brogan has a clear brand. He’s the techie guy who’s also the guy next door. He’s super smart, but shows little ego. If he’s in town and has a minute, he’ll have a beer with you. He’s nice and non-threatening and wants to help you. He blogs about his kids, his car (Camero), and shares his personal ups and downs.  Chris also makes over $25,000 per speech. While he gives the speech,he’s smart and self-deprecating. He makes you feel good for being in his space. We know Chris’ story and people pay to hear it.

Oprah is a brand. She’s open, emotional, shares her story but is a crackerjack business woman. She makes no apologies for being a star, but doesn’t rub your nose in it. She’s a curator of information – books, ideas, celebrity gossip from the celebs themselves. We know who her best friend is (Gayle), her dogs, her struggles with abuse and her weight. We know her story and pay to hear it via her magazine and now her cable network.

Why develop a brand

When manufacturing jobs were plentiful and could support a family, it made sense to be like everyone else. Our culture needed people to follow the rules, do their job and call it a day. Creativity on the assembly line wasn’t necessary, nor acceptable. We worked FOR a brand, such as GM or AT&T.

But now, manufacturing isn’t how we make our living. We live in a new age of business. It’s no longer good to blend in.

Those who are paid the most stand out. They create, innovate and invent.

There are millions of bloggers out there, but whey do so many of us know Chris?

There were thousands of news reporters in the US when Oprah was starting out. Why did she become an icon and the others didn’t?

They stand out. They tell a story. They stand for something.

And ANYONE can develop a brand. And should. Otherwise, how do you stand out in a weak job market or pull clients to you when there’s lots of competition all around you?

How to be the brand

Start with what you have – you.

You are unique, with strengths, gifts and ideas.  You have a personality that is yours alone. You have interests and stories that set you apart.

Tell us who you are and let us hear your story.

Take a look at Susan Hires a Boss. She wrote a blog that discussed her qualities that would make her a great employee. She tells us about herself. She’s smart, creative, a “doggie mommy,” worked with Seth Godin, doesn’t like Google as an employer, she loves to read. You learn a lot about Susan in 3 minutes of looking at her blog. She’s creating a brand. And I hear she got a lot of job offers : ).

As a health care professional you can develop a brand. Of course, you’ll need a niche and specialize in something. And you’ll need to show some personality. Everyone took Psychology 101, not everyone rock climbs in their spare time.

How to show your brand

There’s no point in developing  a brand if no one can experience it.

Of course, I love blogs for their power to be your online office.

Lots of folks are starting to put together Powerpoint slide shows and upload them on to LinkedIn as part of their resume.

You can also use a Facebook business page or a Twitter profile to showcase your expertise and personal style.

Talk about your schooling, training, creative ways you do your work, what inspired you to choose your profession, the type of position you want and what you can offer an organization.

Use pictures of yourself, places you’ve worked, a book you published or a home improvement project you completed with your own two hands.

Talk to prospective employers, not at them.

And make sure you clearly show how they can get in touch with you if they want to talk further about hiring you.

You don’t have to be campy or cheesy. Be professional, with a twist. Share some of the stuff you might wait a few weeks to talk to colleagues about.

What if my profession doesn’t like creativity?

The reality is, lots of those who are hiring in the health care profession still think and work like it’s 1990.

They want to see your CV in the ‘expected’ format, nothing more, nothing less.

Ultimately, they don’t want you to stand our and be unique.

Which leaves you with some professional decisions to make.

Do you want to work for someone who’s looking for creative, unique individuals? Or do you want to work for someone who tells you to fit in and toe the line?

You can have either job, it’s just all in how you present yourself.

Photo credit: Jill Murray