Who They Gonna Call?

Why don't we spend this weekend to think about our personal brand?

Remember the theme song of Ghostbusters? “When something’s strange in your neighborhood… who you gonna call? When something’s weird and it don’t look good.. who you gonna call?” Ghostbusters!

Ok, I admit that may be a bit cheesy. But...

Imagine the Board of Directors of your company needs somebody to oversee a strategic project that will spell prosperity or doom to the business. Who are they gonna call?

Will they call your name?

David Bach wrote, “What you need to understand is that nothing determines your value in the marketplace more than how you position yourself. To get people to think of you in a certain way… you’ve got to present yourself in a certain way.” He adds that having a personal brand does not simply happen. You’ve got to make it happen.

Identify your strongest, marketable skills. Notice I said skill, not attribute. It is a mistake to think of your personal brand as “honest” or “hardworking.” It is assumed that you are honest and hardworking regardless of what you do. You may be the nicest fellow on earth, but as one HR consultant puts it, “nice” is not a skill.

Make a list of your skills and figure out what you do best. Keep in mind that these must be skills that give value to your employer. You may have an uncanny knack for walking on your hands, but unless you work for a circus, it is irrelevant to your boss.

It is also good to ask friends and co-workers who know you well to help you create that list. They may cite what you have missed and identify your core competency.

Establish your branding through those strengths. Now that you have pinpointed what you are really good at, get all the opportunities to shine in that category

Start within your organization. For example, if you have a knack for thinking outside the box, look for and volunteer in projects that call for high degrees of creativity. Then, do an outstanding work such that when a similar project comes along, your name readily comes to mind. The same can be said for having solid skills in presentation, negotiation, motivation, coaching, analysis, or research.

Don’t stop with your organization. Look for opportunities outside, notably in trade associations, civic organizations or even churches. The added benefit is that you expand your network and make yourself more attractive in the job market.

Keep improving your brand. Have you noticed some companies would trot out “new improved Brand X”? In the same way, don’t rest on your laurels.

Invest in books, webinars, or podcasts that will keep your skills sharp and your knowledge up to date. For example, you may be a whiz in public speaking when it was in-person, but now it’s mostly virtual. Learn how to give a presentation through Zoom. It’s trickier than you think.

Conclusion. People complain about being mere names and numbers in the payroll. But if we practice the strategy of personal branding, we stand out among the crowd.

Thus, when the next big break for someone’s career rolls along, who are the executives gonna call? I pray they will dial your number.

Especially when you “ain’t afraid of no ghosts.”

Bio: Nelson T. Dy is an author, speaker and trainer on career, relationship, and spirituality issues. His day job is being an Assistant Vice-President running two factories for a well-known beverage conglomerate. Follow him at Linkedin as he continues to share his insights through articles such as the one you just enjoyed.