Electable Personal Brands

As we approach the eve of what has been called the most important election of our time, I ask you again to reflect on the power of  personal branding.  We have discussed the value and power of developing a personal brand in the context of optimizing career opportunities for several months. On November 4th, Americans across this great country will be voting in part, for candidates that not only represent their core values and beliefs, but also that exude such through the demonstration of their  personal brands. Powerful, isn't it? 

I ask you to reflect on your personal brand in the context of your existing job  as well as future career opportunities. Do you have an "electable" personal brand? Does your personal brand exude that you are the best qualified candidate for the job? Does your personal brand give you a substantial lead over the competition? The competitive job market  is fierce at best. Now more than ever, it is important to have a solid executable personal branding strategy. Let TLT Consulting Services help you establish your personal brand to ensure that you are the candidate of choice!

Until next week...

Career Reinvention... The Cure For Feeling Trapped!

The economy, the primary topic of discussion on prime time news, across dinner tables and in social circles around the country, is weighing heavy on the minds of many passive and active job seekers. Growing unemployment rates, dwindling perceptions of job security, threats of a severe and long national recession and overall uncertainty about the future, for many, has generated the feeling of being trapped.  Trapped in an economy with a limited number of jobs. Trapped with a body of experience in an industry that has been devastated by our recent economic condition. Trapped in a position that has been  reclassified. Trapped in a position that requires relocation. Trapped in a position targeted for a drastic pay reduction.  Overall, trapped in the fear of the unknown as it relates to the economy, jobs and future career opportunities. 

Career reinvention is often the cure for feeling trapped. The possibility of reinventing your career is empowering. It allows you to take control of your current circumstance and mobilize yourself for opportunities that you may not have otherwise imagined.  Career reinvention can be accomplished by taking stock of your current body and range of experience, creating a personal brand around that experience and then leveraging that against opportunities in other positions, functional areas, fields or industries. Examples of transitional reinventions can be found in real estate, mortgage loan or  financial service agents  transitioning into sales or account executive roles with corporations in other industries. Further examples include transitional reinventions from corporate  manager to adjunct faculty instructor; sales manager to training and development manager; information technology employee to web  designer; physical education teacher to personal trainer; fashion retail employee to image consultant; administrative assistant to virtual assistant; account executive to non-profit fundraiser; medical billing supervisor to executive recruiter; advertising representative to media buyer and the list goes on. Additionally,  any of the above examples can easily transition into alternative entrepreneurial pursuits.  

If you feel as if you are trapped in your current role, what is your solution? Will you take control of your current situation, mobilize your body of experience and begin the process of positioning yourself for career reinvention and broader opportunities? Although you cannot control the state of our economy, you can control the outcome of your career. Begin the empowering process of career reinvention today...even if you consider reinvention your plan "B".  TLT Consulting Services specializes in career reinvention and personal branding. Let us show you the power of your personal brand!

Until next week...

Will Your Personal Brand Garner The Attention of Talent and Human Capital Strategists?

Talent and human capital management strategies are integral to the success of progressive organizations, particularly in the global working environment that is our reality. Organizations that employ talent and human capital management strategies aim to attract, develop and retain the most dynamic talent in the marketplace. When executed successfully, the  process is a marriage between the candidate's brand, position requirements and the organization's vision. This results in a win for the candidate and a slam dunk for the organization. Did I just use a sports analogy? Well,  you get the point.  Let's talk about why  talent and human capital management strategies are important and what a candidate must do to catch the eye, so to speak, of such strategists.

Over the course of the past several months, we learned of several companies, many of which represent iconic Americana with deeply rooted brand identities, struggle to keep their brands afloat amid the challenges of our current economic climate. Many I believe, are in such a tenuous position because of a failure to attract, develop and retain top talent from the highest levels of the organization to the most fundamental.   Companies that expect to win and thrive through our current troubling  economic environment, let alone the next decade, must seize the opportunity to aggressively scour  their  workforce and develop internal  talent as well as seek out and entice external  talent. This must be done across a host of functional areas, geographies, industries, educational backgrounds, experience, perspectives and demographics in an effort to mobilize a talent force that will position the organization to drive revenue, explore new market opportunities and insulate its brand from the threat of new entrants.   

Years ago, I worked for a company that had been a first in class industry leader for decades. The leadership employed the same strategies and tactics year after year in an effort to grow the business. Generally speaking, the organization encouraged  group think,  did not welcome creativity, meagerly developed internal talent, recruited exclusively from the same industry, thought little of the competition  and believed that its status as an industry leader would never be compromised. As a result, over time, the company lost market share, shed its position as an industry leader and to this day, struggles to attract thought leaders and top talent. Clearly, this company neither embraced nor employed talent and human capital management strategies and suffered as a result.  

If you are to catch the eye of talent and human capital strategists, you must have a solid and compelling personal brand, market yourself as a progressive thought leader with a passion for the vision of the respective organization and demonstrate the value and connectivity of your diverse experience relative to the position and overall strategy of the organization. Are you ready to catch the eye  and garner the attention of talent and human capital strategists?  Are you ready to demonstrate that you are the most dynamic candidate for the job? If so, let TLT Consulting Services help you re-engineer your career or create a professional personal brand that is sure to garner their attention. Let us show you the power of your personal brand!

Until next week...

Do You Have The Confidence To Drive Your Personal Brand?

Last week our country experienced some of the most  tumultuous financial and  economic events in recent history.  The economic challenges we face will no doubt continue to have debilitating effects on unemployment levels, consumer confidence, spending and ultimately career choices and opportunities. Moreover, 2008 is host to one of the most historic and pivotal elections we seen in decades. The remaining months of this year will be both challenging and  fascinating, to say the least.  This week, I offer you a challenge: Irrespective of the challenges we face relative to the job market, will you have the confidence to utilize your personal brand to create and drive your own career opportunities? 

You must be confident that the value you deliver is completely evidenced. You must be confident that you are the best candidate for the job, not  just because you say so, but because you are an expert in your field,  have a solid command of competitive intelligence and can leverage both into viable business or corporate solutions.  You must be confident that  when you click on the "apply now" button that the sum  of your value is concisely packaged and delivered by way of your resume or professional  profile to ensure that you will be called for an interview.  You must be confident that in the interview you clearly articulate your value and competitive skill, experience, accomplishments and value. You must be confident that if offered the position that you will continue to deliver on your claim of expert status and promise of enviable value. Ultimately,  you must be confident that in a down economy with a shrinking pool of job opportunities and record numbers of job seekers as competitors, that you  are absolutely projecting your best professional personal brand.

The job of your personal brand strategist is to assist you in developing, executing and communicating an authentic and consistent brand image representative of what you stand for, the associated value you deliver,  positioning your competitive advantage and infusing you with the confidence that you need to both attain and sustain the opportunities that you desire. Confidence is what you will need to weather the coming months. Confidence in your solid brand will insulate you from stagnating, from floundering, from diminishing  focus and  from loosing out to the competition. Whether you are searching for a new opportunity, repurposing or reinventing your career, confidence in your ability to utilize your personal brand to take control of and drive your own career opportunities will sustain you and feed your desire to win and achieve irrespective of the economy. Are you confident in the marketability of your personal brand? Boost your personal brand confidence level by contacting TLT Consulting Services, which specializes in personal branding and career reinvention strategies. 

Until next week......

Is An Internet Strategy A Component of Your Personal Brand Marketing Mix?

In my last blog, I discussed the need for and power of a personal brand in a down economy. In discussing this same issue with a few of my marketing and talent management colleagues, we began an exchange about the importance of self-promotion and career marketing in a Web 2.o world. As you know, the rules of the game, as it relates to job search, changed in the 1990's. The game changed from the manual process of newspaper search, send and fax, to internet job boards and candidate data mining by companies large and small. The transition was challenging for many active and passive job seekers that developed a singular strategy of simply bouncing between a few job boards, endlessly pointing and clicking in hopes of landing a call for an interview. Unfortunately, almost 90% of clicks on "apply now" go unanswered. Couple this ineffective strategy with soaring unemployment rates and fierce levels of competition and a perfect storm is created for a frustrating and uneventful job search. 

In today's market, job seekers that continue to employ a singular search strategy will be left behind and overlooked by tech savvy recruiters and human resource professionals in a burgeoning Web 2.0 world. So just how does a candidate circumvent the pitfalls of singular online job search and effectively market and promote a personal brand for competitive advantage? The answer is to develop a personal brand marketing mix that incorporates an internet strategy that utilizes  Web 2.0 technologies.

Web 2.0 technology, simply put, refers to the interactive capabilities available on the internet. Examples can be found in social networking, blogger and affinity or community building environments. Recruiters, talent management and human resource professionals are now utilizing blogs, community and social networking sites, podcasts, YouTube and the likes of meetup.com  to search out qualified candidates and  industry experts.  Effectively incorporating an internet strategy into your personal brand marketing mix requires more than simply listing your name on an affinity or social networking site.  Marketing your personal brand on the internet requires a strategy that consistently delivers messaging that positions you as an expert and touts your personal brand across multiple platforms.  It also requires a solid dose of practicality, as uploading and listing marginal or less than desirable content can catastrophically  damage your personal brand and jeopardize future job opportunities. So are you ready to develop your internet personal brand  marketing strategy? Are you ready to demonstrate your competitive advantage by utilizing web technology to promote your expert personal brand? TLT Consulting  Services specializes in personal branding and can help you develop your personal brand marketing internet strategy. Stay in the game and let TLT Consulting Services show you the  power of your personal brand!

Until next week...

Do You Really Need a Personal Brand in a Down Economy?

In a down economy, the unemployment rate  typically ticks up as the availability of professional jobs tick down.  This is often referred to as an "employer's" market, as opposed to a "candidate's" market.  Simply put, a surplus of candidates allows employers the flexibility to be more selective in the hiring process and to negotiate salaries at lower levels. As reported by the Department of Labor last week, the national unemployment rate for the month of July  was 5.7% and the rate was 7% for the state of California. Shockingly, the unemployment rate for San Bernardino County was 8.3% and 9.5% for the  County of Riverside.   Los Angeles and Orange Counties ranked a tad better.  

Contrary to popular thought, the ranks of the unemployed in our region are not filled with real estate agents, mortgage brokers, financial services and retail industry folks in totality. Many of the unemployed represent a broad spectrum of professional positions across multiple industries. Also, peeking into the job market are  employees that have become either disenchanted or disenfranchised in their current roles and are passively in the market searching for new opportunities.  Let's pause for a moment...it is also imperative that those currently employed  have a strong personal brand and brand equity with management to ensure sustainability through downsizing events.  In a down economy, value and brand equity are king as it relates to securing and sustaining employment. So, I ask you, "Do you really need a professional personal brand in a down economy? The answer is an astounding YES! 

The bottom line is that employers desire  and hire candidates with the most experience, relevant education and  value for the organization. More importantly, employers  negotiate higher salaries for employees that not only meet requisite requirements, but that also embody the essence of the position, are industry experts, have a solid command of competitive intelligence, are thought leaders and are well networked.  

How do you stack up against your competition? What do you bring to the table, other than requisite or basic position requirements? If downsizing were required, why would your boss tap your peer on the shoulder  as opposed to you? If you were downsized tomorrow, why would an employer select you over hundreds of other candidates? Do you understand that a professional personal brand is not a resume, but rather the embodiment of value that you deliver? What have you done recently to drive your competitive advantage? If asked, can you concisely  articulate your value? Do you have a solid professional personal brand? These are critical questions that require your attention,  particularly in a down economy. TLT Consulting Services specializes in personal brand development. Now is the perfect time to discover the power of your personal brand!

Until next week...

Is Expert Status A Component of Your Personal Brand?

When you think of celebrities with dynamic personal brands, who do you envision in your minds eye? Donald Trump? Oprah Winfrey?   Suzie Orman?  These are examples of iconic celebrity brands that garner global notoriety and respect. In addition to their celebrity status, they are undoubtedly subject matter experts in their respective fields. If access were granted, would you not welcome real estate advice from Donald Trump or financial guidance from Suzie Orman? Would it not be awesome for an entrepreneur to get advice from Oprah about managing multiple organizations under the umbrella of the Oprah brand? Expert status is not reserved for celebrities alone, you too, can be considered a subject matter, category or industry expert by your boss, colleagues and clients. Expert status....are you perceived as an expert?

The opinions, perspectives and visions of those that create authentic expert status around their personal brand  are coveted to say the least.  Expert status in a respective field or industry is critical to the demonstration and execution of competitive advantage. Positioning yourself as a subject matter, category or industry expert, in line with your background, experience and education will differentiate you from the competition and enable you to leverage substantially more opportunities across your career or business.  

I have worked with  clients across a variety of  industries in both public and private sectors. I am often amazed by the fact that despite having spent many years in either the same position or industry, that more often than not, most would not consider themselves experts in any capacity. Shockingly, many are incapable of answering questions such as: "What are the latest trends in your industry?" Who are considered the top thought-leaders in your industry?" "What challenges is your industry currently facing?" "What is the latest cutting edge technology driving your industry?" Who are the top three competitors in your industry?" "What professional organizations specific to your industry are you actively involved in?" "Have you attended a networking event specific to your industry in the last three months?" "What is the state of the local market as it relates to the products or services your company sells?" "What is the current competitive environment specific to new entrants in the physical or cyber marketplace?" "What are customers saying about  the products or services sold by your company"? "What are your top three recommendations on how to improve or grow your companies business?" "What trade publications do you subscribe to?"  "What business oriented books have you read in the last 12 months?" Experts, whether by subject matter, category or industry, are capable of answering such questions and leverage their expertise and personal brands for higher compensation levels and broader career opportunities. 

If you are not considered a subject matter, category or industry expert, expert status is within your reach.  You do not have to be Donald Trump or Oprah to garner celebrity expert status with your boss, colleagues or clients.   Become an expert and let TLT Consulting Services show you the power of your personal brand!

Until next week...

Is Fear Inhibiting the Reinvention of Your Career?

Last week a magnitude 5.4 earthquake shook portions of the Southern California landscape and for seconds, millions of individuals were  paralyzed by fear. Although a native of California having braved through many in my lifetime, I too, for seconds, was paralyzed by fear. As the shaking continued, my mind raced through thoughts and images of my loved ones. In particular, I thought of my eight year old niece and how frightened she might be experiencing an earthquake for the first time.  I'll tell you more about her later. After hearing that my family and friends were shaken, but fine, I thought about the power of fear and its impact on our ability to  move forward in life with careers, aspirations and dreams.  

Fear is powerful, deceitful and paralyzing and robs individuals of their full potential everyday. Fear will hold you hostage to a dead-end position. Fear will hold you  hostage to a job that prohibits you from following your passion. Fear will shackle you to a desk in a company that does not compensate you for your true value. Fear will marry you to a position year after year, simply because it "feels" safe and comfortable.  Fear will squash your dream of an entrepreneurial venture. Fear can creep in the shadows of your mind and spirit, holding you back from repositioning or reinventing your career.  

I worked with a client that had over a decade of experience in the field of medical billing.  In her role at the time, there were no further advancement opportunities, she had neither a college degree nor a state certification for her field.  Her employer had convinced  her over the years that if she left, she would not be able to secure viable employment in the field and urged her to stay.  This was a remarkable client! She was resilient, hardworking, mindful and sharp, yet understandably fearful of leaving.  She had years of experience across multiple functional areas, had created value by implementing processes that fundamentally drove business for her employer and was literally a resident expert.  I worked with her to create a personal brand and then repositioned her for opportunities in which she could leverage her talent and experience as an expert in the medical billing industry. She was amazed by the fact that, yes, without degrees or certifications, her years of experience and accomplishments had not only positioned her as an expert in her field, but yielded opportunities for teaching medical billing at for profit colleges as well as executive recruiting opportunities with agencies specializing in medical billing placement. This process was both transformational and empowering for the client! 

By the way, my niece rode out the earthquake like a champ. Unlike her aunt, she was not paralyzed by fear and from all reports smiled through the shaking and was excited about having lived through her first earthquake.  We should all embrace the fearless spirit of the child within us as it relates to repositioning or reinventing our careers. Is fear holding you back from repositioning or reinventing your career? TLT Consulting Services specializes in personal branding and career reinvention. Don't be afraid...Let us show you the power of your personal brand! 

Until next week...

The Look of Your Personal Brand

A personal brand is multi-dimensional, encompassing many intertwining layers representative of articulated and demonstrable  authenticity.  To break this down, your brand is who you say you are and how you demonstrate it by way of skills, experience, background, education, networking partners, industry affiliations, expert status, innovative acumen and relevant personal presentation. 

Personal presentation that is out of sync with a professed personal brand may lead those that you seek to influence to call into question the credibility of the other dimensions of your brand. Case in point, I worked with a client that sold couture wedding dresses. The salon was beautiful the dresses were  amazing and the base price for her gowns began at $10,000. Upon introduction, there was an immediate disconnect between her personal presentation  as it related to the products she sold. She was completely ill-kept with disheveled hair,  broken nails, the heel of one of her shoes was damaged, her dress was wrinkled ...she was a mess! Perhaps she had a bad day, nevertheless, her first impression was less than desirable. She went on to share that she often did not resonate with her vendors or clients, get the picture? Her personal presentation was not only out of sync with the high-end designer products  she sold, but also led her clients to question the authenticity of those products and her credibility as an expert. 

Endless examples abound of individuals that sabotage their personal brand and competitive advantage by failing to execute an image that is appropriate for their target audience and those that they seek to influence. 

• What about the provocatively dressed sales representative that wants to transition into management ?
• What about the brilliant research analyst whose attire consistently borders inappropriate and management is uncomfortable with any exposure to high profile clients? 
• What about the overweight personal trainer?
• What about the ill-kept hair stylist or make-up artist?
• What about those that feel that their background and education are enough to propel their careers to the next level, despite a poorly executed presentation?
• What about the administrative assistant that wants to transition into an executive assistant role, yet lacks the personal polish and presentation for the executive suite?
• What about the HR professional that lacks the polish and presentation required in a conservative corporate culture?

Personal presentation and image are critical to your personal brand. I repeat, personal presentation and image are critical to your personal brand! Personal presentation that is out of sync with your personal brand  and that does not resonate with the audience you seek to influence, puts your credibility and brand authenticity at risk. Ask yourself the question, "Does my personal image and presentation lend credibility to my personal brand or that of the brand I seek? TLT Consulting Services specializes in connecting the dots and creating buzz around your personal brand. Let us show you the power of your personal brand!!

Until next week...

What is Career Reinvention?

TLT Consulting issued a press release this week for distribution to human resource and business professionals  across the Southern California market. The title of the press release was, "TLT Consulting Services Launches Personal Branding and Career Reinvention Strategies for Job Seekers in Southern California's Ailing Job Market".

Southern California's recent economic climate of record unemployment, collapsed industries, organizational downsizing, a shrinking pool of professional jobs, diminished disposable income and sharp declines in the sale of products and services has created an environment in which only those that master and execute a personal brand command competitive advantage and survive, let alone thrive. Moreover, with banking, mortgage, real estate, financial services and construction sectors substantially driving job loss in this market, many job seekers are faced with having to reinvent themselves for opportunities across other industries. What exactly does this mean? 

Real life examples of this can be found in the neighbor that spent a decade selling real estate, financial services or mortgage loans, that now has to seek sustainable employment opportunities in industries in which,  he or she may not have any relevant recent experience or education. Sadly, many of these individuals land in multi-level marketing sales positions or in commission only corporate sales jobs that yield a fraction of their previous income. What about recently downsized  banking, airline,  automaker or auto sales employees that have invested years in a singular industry and are now hard pressed to secure comparable positions with industry competitors? What about recently downsized newspaper employees that spent years in a declining industry  now considered an antiquated advertising medium? What about adult learners that complete degrees with no direct connection to their work experience? What about employees that are 40 years of age and older that are faced with entering the job market for the first time in years? Finally, what about the individual that simply wants to make a career change and is unsure of how to execute the change or reinvention effectively?

Career reinvention strategies juxtapose an individuals experience, skills, background, accomplishments, education and industry orientation, to name a few, against opportunities that can be leveraged in other industries, fields or positions. Career reinvention can include short and long term plans to bridge gaps between existing skills, background and education required for a desired opportunity, such as certifications or degrees. Moreover, career reinvention can transport an individual to  new and exciting  opportunities which can include entrepreneurialism.

TLT Consulting Services provides job seekers, downsized employees, transition employees, mature workers and adult learners with executable branding and reinvention strategies.  Let TLT Consulting show you the power of your personal brand!

Until next week,

TLT, MBA, MA

What is Personal Branding?

A personal brand is an individual's equity stake in how one is perceived by a specific target audience. In simple terms, it is how you are perceived by those that you seek to influence. A personal brand embodies the notion of the "it" factor and can position individuals and entrepreneurs as well rounded experts in a respective industry or field. In fact, a strong personal brand speaks to experience, background, education, industry affiliations, polish and presence, just to name a few. Contrary to popular belief, personal brands can be executed and leveraged successfully across ANY profession, business or entrepreneurial venture.

The development of a personal brand enables one to identify, authenticate,  consistently articulate and build brand equity across professional, personal and social platforms. The power of your personal brand will differentiate you from your competition, clearly link and connect you with your target audience and deliver multi-dimensional appeal. Ask yourself the following questions:

• What does my personal brand say about me?
• Is the lack of a personal brand hindering my job search?
• Am I maximizing my personal brand in interviews?
• Do I have an executive bio that touts my professional brand?
• How does my personal brand impact my business?
• Does my business have a branding strategy?
• Do my clients connect my personal brand with my product or service?
• Do my business networking partners perceive me as a industry expert?
• Has a lack of a personal brand inhibited me from taking my business to the next level?
• Does my personal brand impede my career advancement opportunities?
• Has my personal brand inhibited me from transitioning from one career to the next?
• Was I downsized as a result of my personal brand?
• How can I reinvent my brand and transition into a new industry?
• Is there a disconnect between my perceived value as a result of my poorly executed polished personal brand?...Am I rough around the edges?
• Is my social networking suffering as a result of my personal brand image?

The economic climate of the day is such that a solid brand and competitive advantage is central to the financial survival of most entrepreneurs and businesses. Additionally, the job market is tight and maintaining brand equity with employers can make the difference between sustaining one's position and being downsized. In turn, job seekers are challenged to survive the process of candidate pool selection amid thousands of competitors. Let TLT Consulting Services show you the power of your personal brand! 

Until next week.....

TLT MBA, MA

www.tltconsultingservices.com