Why a Personal Brand Beats the Right Resume.

A good friend was recently and rather abruptly laid off from a 15-year stint in senior position at a large company.  Another Covid casualty. Her immediate panic became – “who am I if not SVP of this company?” The answer came from another friend. “You are not the job, you are what you brought to the job.  And you get to take that with you – along with your pictures and books (back when we had offices beyond the bedroom) – when you exit that job.”   You are your brand.  And that is yours to keep, cultivate and publicize.

Resumes and CVs crammed with titles, timelines, job descriptions and a list of accomplishments are a rearview mirror to what we’ve done in the past.  Our history. They keep us in a clearly delineated and safe lane.  They detail our features and benefits.  No risk.  Marketing director @ Company So & So. From 10/16 to present.

But they are not our whole story.  What we do in a given time frame is not who we are.

Women too often seek to prove our Capability, Reliability, Likeability and Acceptability - the stuff of CVs and resumes – when we should be designing our Uniqueablity. That is: Our authentic personal brand.

Interestingly, the true meaning of the word authenticity goes back to the Latin word authenticus or “author” and the Greek “authentikos”, defined as one who acts independently, originally or first hand.  So, in addition to being honest and transparent, being “Authentic” is about being the “author” of your own narrative. Writing your own story. 

So why do we persist in concealing our authentic selves?  For starters, we worry about what others will think of us.  We want approval.  To be liked. Accepted.  And well-thought of. To be a good wife, a good mother, a good daughter, a good sister, good worker, good friend, good girl.  Good G-d. We worry – ad nauseum – was I too aggressive?  Was I aggressive enough?  It’s a tightrope we walk constantly.  We are guarded like Hillary Clinton when we should be genuine like AOC.  And news flash: if you don’t brand yourself, others will brand you.  As Hillary unfortunately found out.  “Untrustworthy.” “Crooked.” “Liar.” “Bitch.”

In branding-speak (my profession), being authentic means having clarity about what your brand stands for. And living by those values, beliefs and attitudes in every thing you do.  It’s about practicing what you preach. Personal branding is not about self-promoting, bragging, chest pounding, attention seeking or me, me, me.  It’s about telling others exactly what you stand for – and more importantly how you stand apart.  Your personal brand is a lifelong investment that’s not tied to any one job or title.

So how do you create a truly authentic personal brand?

1. Find your Purpose. As author, marketing thought leader and self-proclaimed optimist, Simon Sinek says:  Many of us know what we do.  We are a marketer, a strategist, a creative director.  Some of us know how we do it.  We are hard-workers.  We are team players.  We get shit done.  But how many of us know WHY we do it.  WHY is your essence and the foundation of all your branding efforts. It’s a reflection of not just who you are but what you believe.  Your North Star designed to guide everything you do. So, ask yourself: What’s my cause?  What gets me out of bed in the morning?  Your WHY will not only tell you what you can do but what you should and shouldn’t do to be authentic.

2. Define Your Promise.  This is your “one word” modifier that states clearly what your brand stands for and is known for. In the business world think Volvo and Safety comes to mind. Google equals Search.  Coca-Cola.  Happiness. What’s the one memorable word that differentiates and drives you?  Mine?  I’m an Insurgent.  I always challenge the status quo. As a young person, I resisted my Insurgent instincts.  But I’ve learned that being a rule-breaker and outsider has terrific creative advantages.  And it’s become my secret sauce.

3. Have a point of view. And don’t be afraid to say it out loud. We live in a world of likes and hearts and followers. Being middle of the road makes you forgettable.  And what offends some will be a call to action for others and can stir a powerful emotional response. And create believers.  And when people believe what you believe they will go to extraordinary lengths to be part of your brand. Make your point of view your point of difference.

Eleanor Roosevelt who took her fair share of swipes once famously wrote: “Do what you feel in your heart to be right - for you'll be criticized anyway. You'll be damned if you do, and damned if you don't. So, by all means commit and DO.”

3. Share Your Story.  A strong brand is dependent on a strong story that’s human and personal.  Data and timelines – the stuff we stick on resumes – are great to prove what you’ve done. But stories are the emotional components that drive people to connect with you and take action for you. Andrew Stanton of Pixar once said: “There isn’t anyone you can’t learn to love – or at least understand – once you’ve heard their story.”  We are infinitely fascinated by humanity.  Be fascinating.

4. Live Your Culture.  Your personal brand is not some jacket you reach for when you’re headed out the door.  It’s who you are all the time.  Brands are brought to life by behaviors. To inspire customers and create evangelists, a brand must practice what it preaches day in and day out. Same for personal brands. Everything you do defines the value of your brand.  Every text or email, every presentation you are living your brand.  It says you will be the same brand wherever I find you.

“As a human being you are effectively born as a blank page,” writes Nina Burrows, author of The Little Book on Authenticity. “One of your greatest gifts is the capacity to take that page and choose what to write on it. You have the ability to choose what kind of person you want to be: your values, your aspirations and the principles that you want to live your life by.” Your personal brand is your authentic story to design.  What will you write?