Now that you are clear about your proposition and have really started to narrow down on a niche where you know you can most value, you know that you will enjoy and you have significant achievements already and can openly discuss them, we need to look at how we are shine a light on them, both online and offline.
We go into greater detail within the “Know the Market” and “Your Sales Campaign” modules but very briefly what you need to start to consider is how you can increase your visibility, reach and presentation in a way that supports your core proposition. This is really about passively building your personal brand. The more visible you become, the more activity you put in, the higher the potential that you become visible to potential clients/ employers who are looking for people just like you!
The essential aspects include;
- Aligning your #TLH profile to emphasise your ‘new’ brand
- Ensuring that your Linkedin Profile is 100% complete and reflects your brand and includes your ‘elevator pitch’ in the most appropriate sections – more about this within the ‘Your Sales Campaign’ module
- Redesigning your CV, cover letters, email signatures, voicemail messages and other social media networks, such as Twitter and Facebook
- Consider creating a personal website/ blog where you can house all of your information and engage directly with people
- Engage in discussions on #TLH and Linkedin – every time you comments/ engage, if you’ve set things up correctly, your ‘pitch’ will be shown
Do you need a Floodlight or a Search Light?
Undoubtedly, you need to shine a light on your experience and most importantly the value that you can deliver, but should this be a floodlight or a search light? What do you think?
Given that the definition of a Search Light is “A searchlight is an apparatus that combines an extremely bright source with a mirrored parabolic reflector to project a powerful beam of light of approximately parallel rays in a particular direction”, then you need to develop your search light!
Your search light focuses on your career direction, more active personal brand and your career search strategy. It involves you gaining and projecting a strong understanding of where you want top go, what you want to pursue and how you will pursue it.
Activity:
The more closely defined your search, the more chance you have of success. Take out a pen and some paper and start to consider;
1. What sectors are you interested in and the reasons behind this interest
2. What functional areas you’d like to work within – are you more interested in finance transformation for instance?
3. Do you want to work on local, national or globals projects?
4. Finally, what geographical restrictions would you have – would your base need to be within 25 miles of home for instance?
The answers to these questions will provide a defined breakdown of the type of organisations that you would like to work with. This combined with the outputs from the earlier activity will help you to apply a laser approach to your targeting. Use Google, Linkedin & other online databases to identify a list of potential organisations and the relevant people within these organisations. Once you have this list of core ‘stakeholders’ consider ways to build a relationship with them. This may include;
- Join associations/ clubs/ groups where these stakeholders hang out and attend events (in person/ virtual) to build your target network – be sure to use your ‘elevator pitch’
- Approach people that have worked for the target organisations/ stakeholders and introduce yourself, build relationships and get a better feel for the culture within each organisation
- Consider ways to bring fellow industry thought leaders together – can you run an event or round table – use the #TLH platform to organise
- Find ways to contribute within industry groups – remembers its about building up your profile, not about selling yourself.
- Build up your recommendations on both #TLH and Linkedin – these help position you in searches
Remember, effective branding is about positioning yourself within the areas that matter to prospective clients/ employers.
Use the above exercises to find out what you’re great at, what you love to do, who you really enjoy working with and back this up with tangible examples of how you have delivered value and with the right marketing, you’ll have a steady stream of opportunities present themselves to you.
Once you’ve completed the #TLH Essentials programme, we will arrange for a 121 review so you’ll have ample opportunity to reflect and adapt as you progress.