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Chapter 2

Defining Your Personal Brand

I always wanted to be somebody, but I should have been more specific.

— Lily Tomlin, Actress and comedian

Now you know you can’t touch your personal brand because it exists in the minds of others. So, if you can’t touch your brand, how can you master it in a way that actually helps you get the job of your dreams? It may seem like an incredibly tough challenge, but name brands have been successfully created in the minds of millions of consumers for years and years. You can absolutely take control of your job-seeker personal brand, too. Just like marketing experts have helped consumers choose one brand over another, you can use the same strategies to help potential employers choose you over the next candidate. The key is to do what all successful name brands do as a first step: Define it.

Fact: Every name brand you know and love uses six positioning elements to carefully define that brand. It doesn’t even matter if the branders managing those brands are aware of these elements. Trust me — all six are a vital part of what makes the brand tick, and it’s a tried-and-true formula.

You’ve already asked yourself the question, “Who is _______™ — the trademarked YOU™? And you may be saying, “But Brenda, I have no idea how to answer that question!” If this is the case, don’t worry. We are going to work with a specific formula that borrows from the six positioning elements used by marketing experts around the world. That formula will help you pinpoint the best possible job-seeker personal brand for you — a personal brand that will present your best talents, strengths, and attributes and that helps distinguish you from other people applying for the kind of jobs you want most.

The Power of a Framework

Let’s take a look at the six elements of this formula as they apply to the name brands we all love and use every day. Then, you will see how to apply those same elements to each one of us — as individuals — to define our unique personal brands.

Your Job-Seeker Personal Brand Positioning Statement

Hopefully, by now, you’ve asked yourself: “Who really is [insert your name here]™?” If you’re not sure how to answer that question yet, don’t worry. We’re going to walk through each of these elements together in detail in the chapters that follow.

As we work our way through Step 1 — the “Define it” step — you’ll be given the tools to complete a form called your “Job-Seeker Personal Brand Positioning Statement,” which is set up in a format using the six elements from Step 1 of our system. Your Job-Seeker Personal Brand Positioning Statement will show you exactly how to define who YOU™ really are — which will help you to get the absolute best job for you.

Bottom line: This is where “you” become “YOU™.”

As we work our way through each of the next six chapters, you’ll be able to complete one more portion of your Job-Seeker Positioning Statement, just like the one outlined here. The second half of the book will show you how to communicate your well-defined personal brand before, during, and after job interviews. Then, you’ll also learn how to avoid damaging the job-seeker personal brand you’ve worked hard to create.

By the time you have finished working with the six elements that define your personal brand and pulled together your Job-Seeker Personal Brand Positioning Statement, you’ll be ready to put YOU™ into action. Armed with that, you will be able to demonstrate to your ideal employers exactly what you can do. Roll up your sleeves! Your personal brand is waiting …