No matter if you’ve personally experienced COVID or just simply know someone else who has, this pandemic has touched you. It’s during our most troubling times, we realize our most pertinent desires and the things which matter the most in life. As we begin to assess these aspects of our lives, we’ll likely identify key things that we’d like to shift. Some shifts will only require slight incremental changes, while others will require complete paradigm shifts in thought process and habits. This is what I call a “Rebrand”.
“Brand” talk is usually reserved for business jargon, but I implore you to holistically think of your life as your brand. After all, here’s the definition of brand “an identifying symbol, mark, logo, name, word, and/or sentence that companies use to distinguish their product from others.” Aside from symbols and words, brands typically invoke a certain feeling or emotion in the minds of audiences.
How does your career brand make you feel? What type of emotion or theme does it invoke? Do you feel empowered or powerless? What type of patterns exist? I’m sure that you’ve heard the saying, “My life’s theme has been…” If you aren’t sure about your level of satisfaction around your current career’s theme aka brand, let’s start with purpose.
According to Berkeley University, “purpose is an abiding intention to achieve a long-term goal that is both personally meaningful and makes a positive mark on the world.” Purpose can be expressed through a variety of outlets such as business/work, family, hobbies, church, or community endeavors. The key thing to remember about purpose is that it constantly morphs and changes just as we do. Your primary driving force from four years ago may no longer be a core value for you. This is common as you grow and evolve. Take some time to journal and reflect on where you are in this moment and what you would like to experience and create.
Evaluate how things are going on your current job. Are you satisfied? Do you feel appreciated? Don’t beat up on yourself if you aren’t happy at your current job. You’re actually in good company! Reportedly 85% of employees are not engaged in the workplace. According to Gallup, engaged employees are “those who are involved in, enthusiastic about and committed to their work and workplace”.
It’s important to note, there are different motivations around job dissatisfaction. While money is important, it’s not uncommon for it not to be a career change driver, as 74 percent of surveyed employees stated they would accept a pay cut for a chance to work at their ideal job. One person’s catalyst for change may be salary expectations, for another individual it could be lack of recognition, then there are people who are disheartened by the lack advancement opportunities. Figure out exactly what you no longer want to tolerate AND what you’d like to experience instead.
Here’s some initial steps that you can take to successfully rebrand yourself into your next job:
- Identify what type of role you’d like to perform next.
- Perform a job search for that role. Take note of the significant key words associated with that role.
- Evaluate your current resume and skillset, does it already include the major keywords associated with your desired role?
- Is your previous experience already a natural fit or do you have a significant skill gap that you need to narrow?
- If a skills gap does exist, find out which courses or certification programs you can enroll in to remedy the issue.
- Take on voluntary stretch roles that you’ll be able to leverage on your resume, no matter how disgruntled you are with your employer (remember it’s not about them, it’s about you increasing your marketability).
Now it’s time to take massive action!
The next step is to revise your resume to include the search terms that you’ve identified as modern, marketable, and relevant. Be sure to paint a story that depicts you as a clear choice who possesses both competency and character. Create a strong summary statement full of both action keywords. This summary statement will essentially act as your elevator pitch.
Once you’ve laid your new and stronger foundation is time to distribute your resume artifacts on social media and job search engines. for professionals such as LinkedIn, Monster, and Indeed. It’s also wise to create a profile on freelancer sites such as Upwork because you never know what type of unique opportunities you may run across from successful startups who are ready to scale.
Begin to reframe how you view yourself. Now is the time to grow your level of self confidence. Studies show that white collar workers with high self-esteem earn approximately $28,000 more annually than those who lack confidence.
Remember, you ARE an expert! Don’t simply share helpful content regarding your industry, start posting your own views within the content of your posts. Gain even more authority by writing your own industry topic focused articles on LinkedIn.
BONUS TIP – If you really want to make a power play, create your own website which brands you as an industry thought leader and contains video and blog content created by you.
Final Thoughts – Things may not be exactly how you desire them to be with your current position. However, with some tenacity, commitment, and creativity you can certainly land the job of your dreams. This my friend is how you rebrand your career. You are capable of experiencing expanded success and fulfillment in your professional endeavors.