Feature Article: Building Your Brand: Tactics for Successful Career Branding
Bonus Feature: A Dozen Things You Must Know About Communicating Your Career Brand
Quintessential Site: Featured Career Web Site of this Issue
Q&A with a Career Expert: Dan King
What's New on Quintessential Careers: Latest Additions
The Career Doctor: Answering Your Questions
Q TIPS: Quick and Quintessential Tips to Guide Your Job Search
Notes from the Editor: About this Issue...
A powerful force of nature has affected QuintZine recently. Our Aug. 16 issue
went out to subscribers two days after Hurricane Charley zipped through
our area, fortunately causing no damage to Quintessential Careers
World Headquarters in Florida.
Our next issue, Sept. 13, had to be scrapped when Hurricane Frances
chugged slowly and fiercely through our region, knocking out power
and Internet access at QC headquarters for a week.
And now here, we are with our Sept. 27 issue -- with Hurricane Jeanne breathing
down our necks! You may be receiving this issue early to ensure that it goes out before
we lose power.
These hurricanes have brought inconvenience and misery, but we're well aware that the
suffering of other victims has been far more profound, and our thoughts and prayers go out to
them.
We will be very glad when Nov. 1 -- the end of hurricane season -- arrives.
--Katharine Hansen, Credentialed Career Master, Certified Electronic Career Coach,
and editor at
kathy@quintcareers.com
Feature Article: Building Your Career Brand
Building Your Brand: Tactics for Successful Career Branding
by Randall S. Hansen, Ph.D.
What is it that all successful companies have mastered -- and what job-seekers looking to
advance in their careers need to master? What is it about Coca-Cola, Microsoft, Starbucks,
Disney, and McDonald's? What makes a consumer buy one product over another -- and makes one
job-seeker much more sought after than others? The answer is marketing, but more specifically
it is the power of branding. And branding isn't just for products anymore.
Branding can be described as many things, but it's best defined as a promise -- a promise of
the value of the product -- a promise that the product is better than all the competing products
...a promise that must be delivered to be successful. Branding is the combination of tangible and intangible
characteristics that make a brand unique. Branding is developing an image -- with results to match.
Branding (some call it self-branding when talking about individuals) is essential to career advancement
because branding helps define who you are, how you are great, and why you should be sought out. Branding
is your reputation. Branding is about building a name for yourself, showcasing what sets you apart from others,
and describing the added value you bring to a situation.
Most job-seekers are not proactive in establishing
and building their career brand, letting their actions speak for them when seeking promotions or new jobs. But
why not take the time to master some very basic tactics that can help build your career brand and make you a
much more attractive employee or job-seeker? Remember, if you don't brand yourself, others will for you. And
while you may be happy and secure in your job now, you really never know when that will change.
A Dozen Things You Must Know About Communicating Your Career Brand
by Susan Britton Whitcomb, Career Coach Academy
What talents and strengths do you want to be known for in your career? What kind of employer
will be drawn to, connect with, and pay a premium for that?
These two questions capture the essence of what career branding is all about. Image and connection.
Think of your brand as a uniquely individual image with a magnet attached to it. Many of the dynamics
behind corporate branding -- why a consumer chooses Crest over Colgate -- also apply in hiring.
In career marketing, a brand can be defined as: A cohesive image that positions you as a trusted
expert, attracts your ideal employer/client,
and conveys the value of investing in your talents/services.
What are the benefits to having a good, strong brand? A brand will:
Bring you new opportunities faster;
Make others aware of your expertise;
Guide you in your career decisions about what training to pursue and what opportunities to accept;
Create in the employer's mind a compulsion to buy (hire) you;
Differentiate you from your competition; and
Elevate you from the status of a commodity (in commodities, lowest price wins).
The 12 tips in our article
will help guide you in creating and communicating a brand that will help employers choose you.
One very effective way to achieve career branding is though a print or online portfolio. This portfolio-development site
helps job-seekers develop an online career portfolio using one of a wide variety of company-supplied
templates. You can include accomplishments such as research papers, studies, blueprints, compositions,
art, videos, music, and any other resources that provide evidence of claims made in your resume.
Two levels of membership are available, as is a 21-day free trial.
Portfolios provide "a complete showcase of ... qualifications," according to the site,
enabling the job-seeker to stand out above those who use only a resume.
Portfolios not only capture the attention of interviewers but demonstrate the user's
comfort level with current technology.
Dan King is principal and founder of Career Planning and Management, Inc.
"Job-searching is a sales process," said Dan King in the Q&A interview we did with him. "You are the seller;
the employer is the buyer. In any sales process, you need to present your product clearly, believe in its worth,
and showcase the value it can bring to a potential buyer. In the case of your job search, the product is YOU.
"You may resent the indignity of being thought of as a product and understandably so," King notes. "You are
more than a product. But from job-search standpoint, you bring
certain skills, training, experience, behaviors,
and talents that you want a potential employer to buy, or at least lease, for a period of time. In short, you want
some money in return for the services and benefits you bring."
Read more of King's advice in
our full Q&A with him,
including top marketing activities for job-seekers, how to figure
out the right career for you, how to succeed with job-hunting if you're over 50, and what to do
if you've sent out resumes but not heard from employers.
Have you read the Quint Careers Weblog (Blog)?
It consists of career and job-search news, trends,
and scoops for job-seekers, compiled by the staff
of Quintessential Careers.
The blog is a great way to stay posted on the most
recent events occurring in the career and employment fields.
Betty writes: "I've heard and read some things about developing career portfolios, but why should a job-seeker
do it? And, do you have examples of portfolios as well?"
Kevin writes: "In your article about getting fired, you advise to not include a job that resulted in a firing if
it did not last more than three months. I recently got fired from a job after only two months of employment,
appealed the decision, and then lost the appeal. This was my first 'real' full-time position after college,
and I have decided not to include it on my resume.
"As I search for a new job, can employers somehow do research and discover that I omitted this job? Also,
how did you arrive at the three-month figure?"
Colby writes: "I was invited to a job fair at the end of the week and am extremely excited but nervous as well. I have
never been to a job fair, so I am unsure what to expect. The fair is for entry-level, ticket sales positions within
the 12 Major League Soccer teams around the country.
"The biggest problem I want to address is how to distinguish myself from others in an interview that
is shorter and more informal than a one-on-one interview. I am interested in all 12 teams in various
locations, so I am extremely open to any suggestions."
Joyce writes: "My daughter has just graduated from an excellent university with a BA in English, and she
has no direction to pursue a career. She was told that she would need either a teaching certificate or grad work
to find a job. She has no interest in teaching, but she is really good at writing and editing.
"What kind of careers are open to her, and where can we look for information? I have suggested she go back to
the college career center and tap into the alumni association. so she can write some letters for networking purposes."
American Marketing Association Career Center --
a great job board for marketing professionals, where you can search for job postings (by location, job level, keywords),
post your resume, and find loads of other career and job-search resources. Free to job-seekers.
Great Insurance Jobs -- where
job-seekers can find jobs in the insurance industry. Job-seeker can search job listings (by career interest,
insurance discipline, location, and keywords), as well as post your resume and find employer profiles
and career links. Free to job-seekers.
IowaJobs.net -- for job-seekers searching for
employment opportunities in Iowa, where you can browse or search for jobs (by company, region, job class,
job category, and keywords), post your resume, review local career events, and find career resources and links.
Free to job-seekers.
WantingJobs.com -- a Northern Ireland job site,
where job-seekers can search for jobs in Belfast and the rest of Northern Ireland
(by position, job category, keywords) as well as post your CV. Free to job-seekers.
Find even more career and job site additions to Quintessential Careers by visiting our
Latest Additions section.
Q TIPS: Quick and Quintessential Career & Job Tips
Want to know how effective your "career branding" is? Lois Frankel, in her book, Nice Girls Don't Get the
Corner Office, suggests asking yourself the question, "What am I best known for?" Frankel then suggests developing a
list of three to five aspects of your work that give you the most satisfaction. Next, she says, translate
these behaviors into three key strengths you bring to the workplace. Finally, consider how these traits distinguish
you and help you stand out.
Women For Hire career expos represent a great opportunity for professional women in all
fields, including accounting, aerospace, automotive, engineering, finance, government, hospitality,
human resources, insurance, law enforcement, retail management, sales, technology, and much more.
All events from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Free admission for professional women.
Resumes and business attire required.
Among those already committed to the fall season include Abbott Laboratories, American Express,
Ameriquest Mortgage, Archer Daniels Midland, BAE Systems, Bear Stearns, Bloomberg, Boeing,
Cap Gemini, Cigna, Cisco Systems, Coca-Cola, Ernst & Young, FedEx, Freddie Mac, Honda, HSBC Bank,
IDX Systems, IKEA, Integic, IRS, JetBlu, Kraft Foods, Level 3, Moody’s, New York Life, New York Stock
Exchange, Nextel, Northrop Grumman, Pepsi, Prudential, Raytheon, Shell Oil, Sanofi-Synthelabo, Swales
Aerospace, Takeda Pharmaceuticals, Target, Time Warner, UBS Investment Bank, Wachovia, Wal-Mart
and many more.
Participants vary at each event; a complete listing is posted at Women For Hire.
Washington, D.C. - Hilton Crystal City, Sept. 30
Chicago - Navy Pier, Oct 7
Boston - Hyatt Regency Boston, Oct 13
New York - The Manhattan Center, Oct 19
San Diego - Wyndham Emerald, Oct 26
Los Angeles - Universal Sheraton, Oct 28
Tampa - Wyndham Harbour Island, Nov 9
Atlanta - Cobb Galleria Centre, Nov 11
Dallas - The Adam’s Mark Hotel, Nov 16
Houston - Westin Galleria, Nov 18
You can also join Women For Hire CEO Tory Johnson for a networking session from 8:30 a.m. to 10 a.m., prior to
each career expo. She'll share inspiring and practical job-search advice. All attendees will receive a copy of
the new book, Women For Hire's Get-Ahead Guide to Career Success, and priority admittance to the career expo.
A recent issue of HR Magazine, published by Society for Human Resource Management,
unveiled the top 25 best small companies to work in America:
Analytical Graphics, Inc., Exton, PA
Archer/Malmo, Inc., Memphis TN
Triage Consulting Group, San Francisco, CA
Northeast Delta Dental, Concord, NH
Advanced Financial Services Inc., Newport, RI
Deploy Solutions, Westwood, MA
Professional Placement Resources, Jacksonville Beach, FL
Ad: Does Your Organization Have Open Positions to Fill?
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We'd Love You to Link to Quintessential Careers!
If your school, organization, business or other
entity has a Web site, we welcome you to link to Quintessential Careers.
If you already have a link from your site, we want you to know we
appreciate it. If you don't have a link to us, please
send a request to your site's Webmaster to establish a
link to Quintessential Careers. Thanks so much!
For more details (including sample HTML copy), see our
Link to Us page.
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QuintZine: Topics in Upcoming Issues
WATCH FOR feature articles on these topics in upcoming
issues of QuintZine:
* Dining etiquette
* Career Focus Quiz
* Pre-Employment Testing
* Exude Confidence in Interviews
* Pros and Cons of Nontraditional Careers
* Nontraditional Career Paths for Men and Women
* Make Your College Application Shine
* Changing Landscape of College Admissions
* College Admissions Annual Report/Panel Discussion
* Internet Jobhunting Annual Report
* Top 5 Networking Strategies
* Quintessential Career Profiles of YOU, our readers
* Q&As with well-known career experts
* Book reviews
. . . and much, much more!
Don't ever want to miss another issue of QuintZine? Get a free subscription to
the email version of QuintZine by completing our
subscription form.
Ad: Quintessential Careers Career Coaching Services
We now offer two types of career-coaching services!
Are you...
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looking for a solution to job-search obstacles?
desiring to bounce ideas off of a career expert?
trying to discover the keys to career success?
Let Dr. Randall S. Hansen, The Career Doctor, help you work through all your college, career, and job-search concerns,
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And for an economical online-only career-coaching alternative,
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