Brand Manager for Your Career

[David Sandusky]

My days as an executive recruiter generalist provided insight into many businesses and disciplines. It was the Brand Manager role in many executives and some entrepreneurs I love to apply to the personal brand manager required in all of us.

A classic brand manager job description coming from, say, Kellogg School of Management into a well know company like Sara Lee to run or create any one of the Sara Lee Brands consist of true understanding of what the brand stands for and expertise in:

Identifying key markets

Market research

Build product/service solutions

Pricing strategy

Building brand awareness



Careers are our own business - a business that we create, brand, own and manage. Our careers go through the same service model cycle a business does. So it is logical to think that any professional needs to plan, manage and brand a career. The Classic disciplines required such as those listed above are not required core competencies of the career and community minded professional. But the strategy as a tool is required to build and maintain a sustainable competitive advantage.

Brand management for your career:

What does your brand stand for? Identify, track and review:

Identifying key markets to understand where your skills and passions are transferable.

Market research to be tooled with the required skills to be competitive today and tomorrow and to identify market trends (or create them).

Build product/service solutions that add value and separate you from your perceived competition.

Pricing strategy to understand the value of your skills and results as well positioning for negotiations for your service offering.

Building brand awareness on and offline to be a known commodity and provider of value - sought after as an expert in your field.

"There is No ing in Brand" series continues through each topic linked above.

[jack_5229]

When you selected your business school, you would have received details of career placement services available. Many business schools have active links with businesses and also run MBA jobs fairs. These services are there for your help so use them to the full. Speak to your careers office and find out what help they can give you in your MBA job search.

[Les]

Even as an independent contractor, thinking of myself as a personal brand and managing that brand has never occur ed to me until now.

Networking with friends and existing clients have been the extent of managing my career. I have a price, but no price strategy; no target market, only who I know. For 2009, I will have a brand strategy and optimistic.

The challenge for me is to determine my pricing strategy for products and services as competitive. Where do I start?

[David Sandusky]

The challenge for me is to determine my pricing strategy for products and services as competitive. Where do I start?

Where to start, yes. Based on your other posts here, it seems you are not just starting your business. You have a price today. Do you know where you line up against industry standard pricing for your design work? Do you have ideas of what your perceived competition charge? Start here. If/when you have clarity on what the market shows you, determine where your value sits.

Are you average in production and service?
Do you have end products that are perceived better?
Do you have a process including customer service that adds value?
What are your costs?
How much is your time worth?

Now, are you cost plus, premium or a bargain with a volume strategy for your business?

Know the above and you may have enough to price with confidence. If you struggle, get people around you that can help with business strategy as per our other conversation.

[NagCharma]

I am glad you shared personal brand manager for your career on the Personal Branding group on LinkedIn. The author pointed out viable thoughts, but you bring the concept all the way.

Personal branding is not about self promotion of some "authentic" way o being online. You don't promote authenticity. You ARE authentic.

Way to outline actual process and strategic thinking.

[Ann-Robyn]

DAVID! You ask "What does your brand stand for?" before going into the the elements of building a personal brand. I LOVE it!!!

You are suggesting we uncover brand values BEFORE we identify with the market we best relate and relate to us. I see it your way. Looking at what a product goes through in branding process is easily relatable to a personal branding cycle. A great way for us to manage as CEO of "Me Inc."

[MadsUttets]

It makes too much good sense to plan the career like a business. I submit to not plan more than three years because much changes in career market.

[Maria Elena Duron]

I agree with everything that's been said. I would also submit that while you do not want to plan further than three years in advance, you do want to plan, like you would a business. Determine what you're measuring (what success looks like for you) and then review at least once a year. Adjust, measure and review again.

[bobydavid71]

This makes too much sense to not consider on my own. I see hiring a personal brand manager close to a brand manager for a company. More than a coach because it is not planning and accountability more strategy and managing and promoting a brand. Is this true?

[bobydavid71]

Hi

You can see this topic becoming wide spread need more than political or professional athlete careers.

We also find more definition at: brand manager job description
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