Were you passed over again for that promotion you’ve been vying for? Or maybe you’ve been eying an industry that you’d love to break into, but aren’t sure how to break the perception that people have of you or your current industry. If you’re ready to make the next move in your career, it’s never too late to recreate yourself.
Whether you know it or not, you have a personal brand defined by what you do, where you go, what you wear, how you speak, what you say, who you’re with, and a host of other defining qualities. This is how people see you. Rebranding can be subtle or cause a double-take. But it should never lose the essence of you.
Take a good look at yourself in the corporate mirror, and if you don’t see the convincing leader you want to be staring back, it’s time to up your game by shaking up the way people (and you) see yourself.
Here are 4 simple tips you can take to the bank with you as you go to deposit your next promotion check.
1. Know where you want to go
Without a clear sense of direction, you’ll never
reach your destination. Identify your goals for rebranding. Career change? Inability to define yourself anymore? If it’s a career change, you’ll benefit from doing some research into the industry, finding a mentor, or shadowing someone for a time to learn more about the job and the field. Identifying and clarifying your purpose and goals, and moving forward in an informed way is the first point on your new roadmap to your future.
2. Define your unique value proposition
Industries and trends are constantly shifting as new players enter the game. You have no choice but to change to keep up. But you don’t have to abandon or dismiss the core value of your experiences. Instead, leverage your proven skill sets to
show that you can offer new perspective on an old job.
3. Tell a consistent story
If you make a drastic change in industries or jobs without filling in the gaps, you can lose credibility before you’ve even had a chance to prove yourself. Your transition is the story of you, and should continue to tell it seamlessly.
Create a narrative that weaves together how the experiences of your past have led you to this moment, and how they uniquely position you for the job at hand.
4. The big reveal
Now that you’ve recreated yourself, it’s time to let others know about the new you. Part of it means making new contacts, but the hardest and most important part will be letting your current connections know the ‘you’ of today. It takes about 10 seconds to make a first impression. That impression has been your shadow wherever you’ve gone. Shake off old perceptions by updating your public profiles, resumes, cover letters and websites to
be consistent with the new you. Don’t underestimate the value of a phone call to your contacts list to reintroduce yourself, and your new focus in business or life.
