Sometimes a c-suite client of mine becomes fearful of actually using the branded content we’ve worked so hard to create.
He forgets that branding gives him a critical edge in landing a top-level executive job in today’s difficult job market . . . differentiating the ROI he offers over his competitors.
Before personal branding had a name, Ralph Waldo Emerson spoke about personal integrity:
“Insist on yourself. Never imitate.”
This sentiment is at the core of personal branding.
Here’s what happens with a confused executive job seeker:
He’s all revved up about working his brand . . . at first.
He’s excited about digging deep to uncover his unique set of strengths, key personal attributes, values, passions and other qualifications that make him a good fit for his target employers.
He understands that branding is all about differentiating his value proposition from his job seeking competitors, and that branding will help him land the job he wants.
I write and present him with his branded career communications – executive resume, career biography, LinkedIn profile, etc. – to review, tweak and finalize, before he starts using them.
Suddenly, when he reads the rich, brand-reinforcing content we’ve collaborated on, he’s afraid to put that information “out there”. It all feels too personal, and unlike the documents and online profiles he’s seen for other candidates like himself.
So he backs down on any content that conveys his personality or shows who he is and what he’s like to work with.
He wants to go with sameness. He wants his career communications to read just like the other guys’.
After all, sameness worked for him in his last job search five years ago.
He’s missing the boat on what works in today’s cluttered executive job market.
He forgets (or doesn’t grasp the fact) that sameness does not help employers and hiring decision makers distinguish him from the pack.
He forgets that branding in executive job search is no longer optional.
- Without branding, he has a hard time standing out from everyone else.
- Without branding, he has a hard time positioning and marketing his ROI value over others in his brand content.
- Without branding, he has a hard time articulating his ROI value when networking and interviewing.
- Without branding, he has a harder time landing a good fit job, and it takes him longer than his competitors who DID embrace branding.
Related posts:
10 Keys To a Memorable Personal Brand
Top 10 Executive Resume Branding Tips
7 Reasons Not To Be a Personal Brand Copycat
photo by dryhead
