Step 1: Personal Branding
The career change process should begin with identifying and developing your personal brand.
Your personal brand is the unique message you communicate to others about who you are. Everything you say and do either adds value to or takes away from your brand. Clarifying your brand before you begin your job search will save time by targeting only the employers that align with your brand.
Ways to develop your brand:
- Identifying and celebrating your strengths helps you place your focus on the strength of your brand
- Getting clear about what you value and aligning your actions with those values will help your brand grow
- Asking others how they would describe you will tell you how others perceive your brand
- Making sure your social media activity supports your brand will help employers see how your brands align
- If your brand does not align with the type of employer you want to work for, make changes to increase alignment
Resources to help you develop your brand:
- Meet with a Career Counselor to discover your strengths and values and identify your unique qualities
- Identify your strengths: https://positivepsychology.com/what-are-your-strengths/
- Take a free online self-assessment of strengths: https://www.viacharacter.org/
Ask The Experts
Learn how to create and grow your personal brand during our FREE interactive Personal Branding presentation as part of our 4 Steps to a Meaningful New Career workshop series.