THE POWER OF PERSONAL BRANDING by Louise Fletcher?President, Blue Sky Resumes

Can you articulate, in 20 words or less, what makes you uniquely valuable to potential employers? If you're shaking your head, you're not alone: most executives struggle to express what makes them special. But, if you can't quickly and clearly explain your value to potential employers, how can you expect them to see it?

As a business person and a consumer, you understand the importance of branding. You've seen the sales impact of a clear and compelling brand, and you've also seen what happens when a brand loses its way. Yet few executives realize that personal branding is every bit as effective?and essential?as product branding.

Who Are You?

If you've ever gone through the process of brand development for a product or service, you'll have a sense of the work involved in defining and articulating a brand message. You will also know that a brand message is not something you "create", but rather something you discover. The product (in this case you) already exists. It already has strengths and weaknesses. Your goal when developing a brand is to find and articulate a clear and compelling message that resonates with the consumer (or in this case, with the employer.)

That's why I put my resume clients through a rigorous process of self-reflection. I ask them to answer probing questions about their successes. I challenge them to develop compelling stories?challenges faced, actions taken, results achieved, lessons learned. I ask them to recollect what others have said about them Patterns emerge during this process of reflection; these patterns form the basis of the client's personal brand.

One recent client (a sales executive) had consistently exceeded his sales targets in every position, and he'd done so even in challenging economic times and market downturns. It quickly became clear that this ability to increase sales was the core of his personal brand. Another sales executive was less fortunate in his choice of employers?he'd worked in some very tough situations and had not always been able to beat his quotas, but in almost all his positions he had forged unusual partnerships and alliances in order to enter new markets. This talent turned out to be a key feature of his personal brand.

To identify your own personal brand, take yourself through this same process or reflection and discovery. Look for the recurring themes in your career. Think about the most frequent compliments you have received. Identify those times when you were the happiest and most fulfilled in your job.

Then, work to hone all this information down to 15?20 words that summarize your personal brand.

Remember that?just as with a product?your positioning must be:

a) Truthful: Successful brands resonate with the consumer?trying to be something you're not just because it matters to your audience won't work in the long-term. I often wonder how many of the people who buy TV-advertised diet pills actually become long-term customers?I'm guessing it's a tiny percentage. Why? Because the message and its promise isn't truthful.

b) Supportable: If you say that "visionary leadership" is the core of your brand?you need to support the claim with specific examples of visionary leadership. For example: "Visionary Leader who transformed a struggling $5 million business into a $250 million industry leader in only five years."

c) Focused: You have many strengths and talents. Don't be tempted to focus on more than one or two, or you'll dilute your message. When Apple launched the new iPod, there were many great features to highlight, but I was struck by the simple, stripped down approach they took to promotion?minimalist, stylized images throughout all campaigns highlight a few overwhelmingly attractive features.

d) Relevant to your target market: Select those abilities and qualities that are relevant to the needs of your audience of potential employers. The CEO of the ad agency you're targeting will be very interested in the fact that you've recently managed multiple Fortune 500 accounts, but will likely care little about your brief prior experience as a sales manager for a small computer peripherals company?unless, of course, you can draw thick parallels.

e) Compelling and unique: This is essential in order to make a connection with others. This is as true in career marketing as it is in product marketing. Avoid clich?s and don't copy a resume format or wording from someone else. Your presentation?both in writing and in person?should be your own.

So you know your brand?now what?

Defining your brand is the first stage of the process?now you must communicate your message effectively and clearly to your target audience.

In his seminal 1997 article, "The Brand Called You," Tom Peters wrote that "everything you do?and everything you choose not to do?communicates the value and character of the brand."

Think about that?everything!

Every resume, every email, every suit, every conversation?they all contribute to your personal brand. And this is doubly true when you are looking for a new job because those reading your resume, or conducting interviews are focusing all their attention on you. If your brand is coherent and compelling, it will sell.

Getting Specific

Resume and cover letterNow that you know your brand, you can create your messaging. Start your resume and cover letters with powerful positioning statements. Back up your claims with hard evidence and reiterate your message all the way through the documents. If your core value proposition is the fact that you always drive exceptional sales growth by building partnerships and alliances, include specific examples for each position and provide dollar amounts.

Your Marketing CampaignYour brand may impact the approach you take to your search. For example, core branding for one of my recent CFO clients was his ability to turn around struggling small to mid-sized companies and bring them to profitability. This realization guided his subsequent job search?he was able to research local companies that fit his criteria and then manage a direct mail and networking campaign designed to get his resume in front of key executives.

InterviewsSince most interviewers are extremely busy, many will not have time to prepare in advance. As a result, they often use the resume as a guide, asking you questions based on the accomplishments you listed on your resume. If your resume is truly in line with your brand, congratulations! It means you'll be given a chance to talk about your brand-specific accomplishments. Develop your stories in advance and practice, practice, practice until you are totally comfortable articulating these examples of your ability to add value.

Online PresenceHave you Googled yourself lately? Many recruiters and executives regularly use the Internet to research candidates, which means you need a positive Web presence. One of the quickest ways to build your online presence is to write articles on your area of expertise for Web sites and newsletters. Also, be wary of what you do online?if you have a personal web site that's been indexed by the search engines, turn it into a career portfolio. You don't want the CEO of your dream company to come across that photo of you throwing back tequila shots on vacation!

Ongoing Brand Management
It's tempting to lose focus on personal branding once you're settled into a new position, but this is a mistake. Instead, you must develop and nurture your brand by remembering that "everything you do?and everything you choose not to do?communicates the value and character" of your brand.