Who are you as a leader? What is at the core of your executive DNA?
The answer to this question is crucial because it will serve as a brand development compass. Don’t try to be anyone else or to ‘guestimate’ what employers might want to hear. Instead, let’s uncover the value your authentic brand delivers. Yes, ultimately we must tie your brand promise to what your target company needs. First, let’s focus on ‘commercializing’ who you truly are as an executive.
When it has been done right, a convincing executive bio close to the highest point of your resume will fill in essentially as an advertisement or pop-up of yourself. In only a couple of effective sentences, it should feature your applicable experience, detail your achievements, and give understanding into what you can accomplish for an organization. That is the reason elegantly composed executive bios are such an unquestionable requirement have.
1 . Where are you heading?
The first question I pose to my executive clients is simply, “What is your career path?” If we know where you are heading, then we can dive into the Why and What is calling you there.
2. Why?
Why are you interested in this next-level career move? Why does it call you? How will it be more fulfilling than where you are now?
3. What?
What value does your experience offer in this new position and how is it unique?
Authentic Brand Exercise
The following exercise will help you drill down to what makes you tick and what genuinely sets you apart from other careerists. Please complete the sentences below:
a. My strengths are the following…
b. My specialty is…
c. I am at my best when …
d. Employers have benefited the most from my leadership during the following company phases/challenges…
e. I am recognized in my industry for consistently delivering…
f. I enjoy this because…
g. I am exceptional at XYZ, and this is proven by (list three examples)…
h. My future employer would be interested in what I am best at because it means the following for that corporation (list three guarantees)…
Once you have performed the Authentic Brand exercise above, you can step back and build your brand message. See guide below:
Great! You can now tie your authentic Self to ROI for your future employer. You will align your authentic brand value with employers’ needs by targeting the corporations that would benefit from the solution your brand offers–not the other way around. That would not be authentic to who you are!
Happy branding!
Rosa Elizabeth Vargas
www.careersteering.com
writer@careersteering.com
