This year is quickly coming to an end! In this season of go and do, it absolutely takes focus to keep your career moving forward. You need to find a way to keep your value visible among all the glitz and glitter of the lively fourth quarter. With that said, it is a great time of year to leverage your personal brand.
Whether you are preparing your year-end progress report (a.k.a. your performance review), putting the final touches on your 2014 plans or seeking a new position, you want to be well-positioned to leverage and discuss your value. Your personal brand and workplace contributions directly effect the salary you command.
Your personal brand is what sets you apart — and it is the fastest way to get noticed in a crowded field of solid performers.
Leveraging what makes you unique (your “special sauce” if you will) helps others quickly connect to you and better understand your value. However, this does not just happen. You need to engage the process.
Without leveraging your personal brand, you may not get the offer you desire. Your skills and experience count, but what makes you different matters the most in any selection process.
Imagine you are searching for a Christmas tree at the local lot. There are many trees to chose from and most look similar, are in the same price range and will serve the purpose. To find the “right” tree, you narrow your selection by considering the qualities you most desire and then you look at only those trees.
Finally, you look for a unique feature — something only one tree possesses. You end up selecting a tree because it fits your wants, needs and has something special — a signature strength, element or specific look.
The tree that goes home with you has become a resource to help you create exactly the holiday experience you desire!
Getting hired, securing a promotion or building your career is very similar to the tree selection process. Those who best leverage what makes them unique are the ones selected for an interview and ultimately hired.
The tree you chose was selected not only because it was, in fact, a tree, but also for what made it different and unique.
Are you leveraging your uniqueness — that special part of your personal brand? Yes? Great, share what you are doing below.
In my next post I’ll share the steps to help you focus on your unique strengths. You don’t want to miss it!
In January, I am hosting a 3-part workshop: Identify, Leverage & Own Your Uniqueness. The workshop is designed to help you quickly identify your strengths and see how others view those strengths, so that you can stand out in the eyes of hiring managers.
If this opportunity speaks to you, drop me an email. I will send you the details and information on how to sign up for the workshop.
Have an amazing week!
Cindy, I hope entrepreneurs as well as job seekers pay attention to your comments. Too few business owners have a truly *unique* selling proposition. (Usually it’s more of a ho-hum one.)
Thanks for the encouragement about this being a great time of year to leverage our personal brands!
I am still new in my business and as time progresses I am seeing my unique attributes more clearly. I am working those attributes into my blog posts, web copy, and workshops. I also realize that the more focused I become, the more my unique brand may not appeal to everyone and I am good with that. Instead, as has been happening, awesome, perfect -for-my-teaching style students are coming my way. Thanks for reminding me that the more me I share – the better!
Cindy, the USP is important to business owners, like Kathleen says above. And, yes, we need to pay attention to the message conveyed by it.