Here is a brief excerpt from my interview of Denise Lee Yohn, author of What Great Brands Do: The Seven Brand-Building Principles that Separate the Best from the Rest (Jossey-Bass/A Wiley Brand 2014).
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Today, when there are still so many people who are unemployed or underemployed, how can they become an “exceptional brand” and thereby succeed in their search for appropriate career opportunities?
People can indeed be brands and in my book I reference some celebrities including Lady Gaga and Oprah who have built themselves into great ones. When most people talk about “personal branding,” they tend to focus on your image, your resume, or your Facebook or LinkedIn profile.
But the way I see it, those things are the equivalent of advertising a brand — which, as I explained, is what great brands do only after they’ve built a strong brand internally. So I would advise anyone who is seeking a new career opportunity to apply the brand-building principles in my book to themselves, beginning with “Great Brands Start Inside.”
Make sure you have clearly identified your purpose and values (your brand identity) and that everything you do reflects these. Follow other principles such as “Great Brands Don’t Chase Customers” — focus your efforts on targets (recruiters, hiring managers, companies, etc.) who share your values and who are most likely to value what you have to offer, instead of trying to appeal to anybody who seems remotely relevant — and “Great Brands Avoid Selling Products” – seek to make meaningful, emotion connections with your targets and use your skills and experiences to support your appeal. As I write in my book, your brand is who you are and what you do — not just what you say about yourself.
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Denise cordially invites you to check out the resources at these websites:
Her website
Her blog