The past few years have been life-changing for most of us, prompting us to evaluate virtually all aspects of our existence. We’ve started questioning many facets of having a career, including how, when and where to work and what we want to do next. We’re mulling questions like:
- Do I really like my job?
- Where do I want to live?
- How do I do my best work?
- Am I living my values at work every day?
- How do I want to make my mark?
- How can I contribute something meaningful?
- Do the joy-filled parts of my workday outweigh the frustrating parts?
The Great Resignation has been a response to this self-reflection and reprioritization. Over 4 million people have made the switch, and the stampede hasn’t stopped. Some professionals moved to slightly greener, yet somewhat similar pastures. And others made more radical decisions, leaving the pasture altogether and finding a new way to graze.
If you’ve decided that you are going to make a significant change to your role, moving to a new industry or even striking out on your own, your personal brand needs to evolve along with you so it’s relevant and viable to your desired next step. But even if you’re content with staying put for now, you need to fight stagnation when it comes to your personal brand.
Here’s why. Although personal branding is based in authenticity, there’s always an aspirational element—positioning you for what’s next. So when you’re a director of market research and the role of marketing VP becomes available unexpectedly, you need to make it clear that you have proven leadership skills and experience and marketing expertise in areas beyond just market research. That’s not a huge stretch.
But when you’re going to make a change that’s a bigger leap away from what you are currently doing, you need to engage in strategic brand evolution so you can successfully achieve your career change without starting from scratch. Here’s the process.
Get clear.
Determine what’s important to you and decide what you want to do next. Be crystal clear about the drivers of your personal brand—your values, purpose, differentiators, passions, etc. Get really specific about what you want to do and focus on one goal. It’s hard to make your brand viable for multiple options at the same time.
Next, understand what’s required to be relevant for your new role. Check out the profiles of others who have that job and look at job listings for that role. Talk to people who have that position. What are the minimum eligibility requirements?
Inventory your current career assets and brand value.
Take stock of your achievements and identify the skills and traits that led you to those mountaintops. Which of those strengths are most relevant, both in the here and now and in the career steps you’ll be taking in the near future? Even if you’re striving to make a fairly significant change, there are likely transferable elements that will position you for success. These will be the elements of your experience that you highlight.
Add your secret sauce.
Any new role you pursue will require competing against other candidates. Ask yourself, “What unique value can I bring to the table? How does my previous experience differentiate me?” A great example comes from former FBI Director James Comey. He recently signed a deal to publish two crime novels. Going from being a senior government executive in the FBI to a crime novelist sounds like a major leap, but Comey’s unique experience in dealing with crime will make his fictional stories more realistic. And although he was not an author for most of his career, having a front-row seat to investigations and understanding the criminal mind are core to both his prior and his new role. Certain aspects of his personal brand are evolving significantly, while the core remains the same. In fact, that inside insight gives him credibility that few longtime bestselling authors have.
Make your case.
Showcase all the elements of your brand that are relevant to your future state. Communicate them with clarity and consistency. Diminish those things that will create confusion and dilute the potency of your new-and-improved brand so that you are fully repositioned for new-and-improved roles. If you were selling real estate and want to move into healthcare, focus on the people skills you gained in real estate that are relevant to your desired healthcare position without overemphasizing the real estate industry. Revise all of your career marketing tools—your LinkedIn profile, bio, elevator pitch, and resume—so they highlight your relevance and position you uniquely and credibly for your next big gig.
Of course, the key to all successful personal branding is to keep it authentic. Don’t stretch the truth to fit a goal. But what’s true for you does evolve over time; as your capabilities and aspirations soar, your brand should soar too.
A version of this article appeared on forbes.com, posted on October 9, 2022
EXPERD, Human Resources Consultant, Jakarta – Indonesia