The Brand Called You

Whether we recognize it or not, we all have a personal brand. The decisions we make, how we present ourselves, what we say, do and even how we dress creates an impression that others use to judge how they will respond to us.

So much of what we are able to achieve comes down to the choices we make, not the choices others make about us.

Think about your brand. In this economy, everyone needs opportunity. If you are a student, you need an opportunity to be accepted into your chosen school. If you are a recent graduate, you need an opportunity to get that first job in an area you enjoy. Once you are employed, you need the opportunity to show your talents so you can progress your career. If you have been laid off, you need to create an image of someone who others would like to work alongside. Even if you have a great job, or are running your own company, you need customers who continue to want to buy from you rather than your competitor.

I have been fortunate to have the opportunity to speak to young people in cash-strapped inner city public schools as well as to kids at well-to-do private schools. Each year, I am more convinced that the difference in success comes down to two simple elements, how you present your personal brand – The brand called You — and what you believe your fate in life should be.

I am absolutely convinced that if you give me a young person with a desire to improve him or herself I can create a person with more opportunities than they otherwise would expect, by simply making them self-aware of their personal brand and finding the desire to improve upon it. Part of that self-awareness can be tough. For example, helping a young person recognize that attire and behavior can limit potential is difficult. Is it fair that a retailer might not want to hire a teenager wearing baggy pants and t-shirt with a gang-inspired theme? Probably not, but a store manager that has to make a thousand decisions a day often can’t take the time to make nuanced decisions. If that young person wants that job, he or she needs to recognize that the brand called You plays a big part.

For those of you in college, you should start thinking about your life after graduation long before you don the cap and gown. Finding your first job is more about the connections you make during school than anything else. When you come home during breaks, start thinking of every family friend as a potential advocate or employer; you want as many of them thinking about the opportunities that can be offered to you as possible. For every young person that finds a job through the newspaper or a career Web site, dozens more gained a position through a family member or even someone who knew your parents long before you were born. They are your advocate not your adversary.

Related to that is how you feel about yourself. I believe that awareness is important, but self-awareness is critical. As embarrassing as it is to admit, in high school, I began reading every self-help book I could get my hands on, throwing it into the mix of other reading. Knowledge is power.

Once you get that job, give serious thought to how those who have input in your career view your brand. Appearance is just one aspect. Today, it is a fashion statement to go unshaven or wear your shirt untucked. That works in a tech company full of young employees as long as you don’t aspire to run the place. Because running the place means there will be board members who judge you on their standards. If you are passed up for a promotion, it is not because you are a victim of their prejudice it is because you made a choice that limits your options.

I always wore a blue suit to office jobs even as an intern. My hair was trimmed and I shaved every day. Those seemingly simple decisions were the reasons that I had numerous advocates who took the time to move me along in my career.

Attitude and drive also contribute to your brand. Today more than nine percent of all Americans are unemployed. That is the highest rate of unemployment since 1983, 26 years ago. Why is it that some people are laid off and others are considered irreplaceable? Much of it comes down to the small decisions you made leading up to that day. Did you show up for work and do what is necessary or did you come to work thinking about making your company more innovative, creative and relevant?

As you built your career, did you develop a natural network of friends and peers who you can ask for help? Did you provide those peers help when they asked for it? Do you socialize often? Do you do charity work or support non-profit organizations in your community? We are all tired after a long day at work, but while most go straight home and turn on the television, others take the extra effort to attend a community meeting, or sit on a volunteer board. On the weekends, some stay home while others coach soccer or baseball. Along the way, every time you decide to make a commitment back to your community, you increase the opportunities that come your way, enrich your neighborhood and build your personal safety net should you need assistance in some way.

Every day, in almost every interaction, we contribute to our personal brand. Whether we are making a positive contribution or a negative one is up to you.