Building the most important brand of your career: YOU (Pty) Ltd
Just as brand equity determines the value of products and services in the marketplace, so too does your workplace impression influence your career advancement opportunities.
In today’s business world, where new career paths and job titles are the order of the day, there is no single path to success. Therefore surfacing talented individuals becomes even more complex, particularly in large organisations with a decentralized recruitment capabilities. Often, it is true that the best candidate for a new job or the next level up, is already employed within the firm, but they may be simply overlooked due to a low personal profile or lack of visibility and exposure within the organisation.
When you establish and develop your personal brand, you are making yourself far more attractive to your employer, and indeed to other employers. The trick is in figuring out how to create the right buzz about you, just like big brands have done whilst ensuring that the organisations that are attracted to your profile are aligned to your personal values. When you succeed in doing that, you benefit not only for yourself, but your company and all its stakeholders.
By example, the Nedbank brand expression is to ‘Make Things Happen’. It follows naturally that Nedbank would fill vacant positions with people who display the characteristics that best demonstrate this can-do attitude towards their careers and client needs.
A pro-innovation mindset in turn attracts like-minded clients and colleagues, who also value an entrepreneurial and committed spirit, creating a cycle of growth and opportunity for all – because as we aspire to achieve our goals, we ultimately sharpen our business competitive edge.
Building your personal brand should not be viewed as a mundane exercise, it is important to establish, promote and build the very personal enterprise of you, the individual employee.
TIPS AND TRICKS
Establishing YOU (Pty) Ltd:
- Identify the qualities or characteristics that make you different.
- What personal values are important to you?
- What strengths do you have that are worth mentioning?
- What are your most remarkable or significant personal traits – dependable, deadline-driven, problem-solver, opportunity-spotter?
- Identify your best work that you’re proud of and can unabashedly take credit for.
- Revise your personal unique selling proposition until it is the most authentic fit for YOU.
Promoting YOU (Pty) Ltd:
- Now that you’ve established your brand value proposition, ignore the perceived confines of your job description and establish a more distinctive role for yourself.
- Should your goal fall outside your current role, find out what it would take to make the shift.
- Work towards obtaining the necessary training and buy-in to shift to your desired role.
- Be visible and proactive in what you do – in person or via your work, beyond the call of duty.
- Remember: enthusiasm is a great way to build word-of-mouth brand awareness.
Building YOU (Pty) Ltd:
Brand power is achieved by consistently meeting and exceeding expectations, to grow a loyal following – act with integrity at all times.
Bring your goal to life by constantly noting, updating and reflecting on your journey to success.
Remember: The traditional CV is dead – all hail the personal marketing brochure, where your personal profile highlights the value that YOU (Pty) Ltd can and do bring to the business.
