Understanding Your Personal Brand
One of the most common questions asked in interviews is: “Tell me about yourself.” While many may believe that this question is meant to tell your interviewer general information about yourself, the interviewee’s response can be a make or break in the interviewers mind.
In evaluating a candidates response, among the criteria that interviewers evaluate are a candidates composure, their readiness, and above all their understanding of themselves. To someone who has never met you, when they ask you to tell them about yourself they are not asking you what classes you are studying or what your favorite color is, but rather they want to walk away knowing what kind of person you are. If you tell your interviewer that you are studying history, they want to know why you are studying it. Is it because you are passionate about it or because you didn’t know what else to study? Remember that it is not only your initial response to a question, but it is also how you follow up your response.
As mentioned, it is important to an interviewer how well you understand yourself and if you can express it to others. While it may seem like an easy question to answer then why do so many people have trouble answering it? Everyone can say general information about themselves but it takes more. This is where your personal brand comes into play.
When people think of Pepsi, they think of the red, white and blue logo and the drinks they produce . When people think of the Yankees, people think about their commitment to winning as evident by their expensive spending sprees. Just like with the examples of Pepsi and the Yankees, candidates need to build their personal brand to the point that when people think of them in a career sense, candidates can be associated with certain qualities or as a brand.
One of the best ways to start building your personal brand is to start with a blog. While some may think that a blog is supposed to be private and to be shared with only your very close friends, being comfortable with expressing your thoughts and views is what can make your blog a powerful tool in branding yourself. With a blog you will be able to network with others and let others know who you are and what you do. By finding your ‘niche’ through your blog you can use it as reference to employers and interviewers as proof of your knowledge of whatever career path it may be.
So when is the best time to start?
As soon as possible. Personal branding is not a one day project. It takes time to build the foundation of your personal brand. After successfully building up your personal brand or foundation, you can move on to networking with other professionals and peers through the various social networks available. For the college student getting ready to start recruiting for a job, you may have already started building your personal brand without even knowing it. Websites like Twitter and Facebook are great ways to network with others and build solid relationships. By networking with others you are not only giving yourself the chance to get your name out there but also you are able to get great advice and insight from other professionals.
After building up one’s personal brand, an individual should no longer be unsure of how to answer the question “tell me about yourself.” So what are you waiting for? Get out there and make a name for yourself!
The Tiffany & Co. Investment
Since 1837, Tiffany & Co. has been one of the most famous jewelers in the world. From their trademark Tiffany blue to the white ribbons that adorn their gift boxes, Tiffany’s has established themselves as not only a leader in the fine jewelry market but also as an example of a company that is able to increase the value of their products through effective marketing and attention to detail.
Evolution of Tiffany & Co.
Starting in 1837, the color Tiffany Blue was born. Little did Charles Tiffany know that Tiffany Blue would eventual grow to become an iconic color and become such a big part of fashion culture. Looking at the evolution of Tiffany & Co., we can see its evolution from being an exclusive high end jeweler to an affordable yet classy destination for anyone looking for that special piece.
Living in Los Angeles, one of the spots that Los Angeles is known for is Rodeo Drive. From Gucci and Prada to Chanel and Burberry, Tiffany & Co. is one of the most famous spots of Rodeo. When going to Rodeo you understand what people mean when they say that Rodeo is in its own little world. Expensive cars to display windows that could rival a decorative museum exhibit, Rodeo is a known for its high end stores for those looking for the high end lifestyle. Still, while Rodeo may be assumed to be for those with high disposable income, it is not necessarily true. Tiffany & Co. has been able to evolve itself from being for the rich and famous, to anyone who wants own a timeless piece of jewelry.
From the young to the old, Tiffany & Co. has been able to accomplish what other companies can only wish for. Tiffany’s has been able to attract not only one target market segment but rather target nearly all market segments. No matter what the age, Tiffany’s has something for everyone. Now the case could be made that while this may apply to only females and that it doesn’t really apply to males. To this I would counter that Tiffany’s offers men’s jewelry as well. Whether you are looking for a money clip to a stylish watch, Tiffany’s appeals to both sexes. Through effective marketing strategies, Tiffany appeals to both sexes through their catalogue and through the universal appeal of their website. The Tiffany’s website is an essential part of the Tiffany’s marketing campaign as any customer can easily find the approriate gift by the multiple search categories and specifics that a customer can provide.
The first time I bought a Tiffany’s piece was during my senior year of high school for my girlfriend. The one thing that I remember distinctly is that Tiffany’s is not only selling you jewelry, but it is selling you an experience. This experience is what makes people want to buy Tiffany’s. By buying a Tiffany’s piece you are buying piece of culture and art. The service marketing side of Tiffany & Co. can only be described as striving to near perfection.
I have found that not only are Tiffany pieces a great gift, but they are also unique in an economic sense. Like rare baseball cards and classic cars, some Tiffany pieces actually gain in value. Taking a look at the several Tiffany pieces that my girlfriend has, most if not all are sold at a higher price than they were previously purchased at. This can be attributed to many things. Among them are the limited amount made per piece as well as certain pieces being made for certain occasions. By buying something from Tiffany & Co. you are also buying into an investment.
Audrey Hepburn from Breakfast at Tiffany’s said it best when she was asked what she does when she gets afraid of something.
Well, when I get it, the only thing that does any good is to jump in a cab and go to Tiffany’s. Calms me down right away. The quietness and the proud look of it; nothing very bad could happen to you there. If I could find a real-life place that’d make me feel like Tiffany’s, then – then I’d buy some furniture and give the cat a name!
Whether you are looking to invest a relationship, a future, or just looking for jewelry, buying a Tiffany & Co. piece means you investing a piece of culture.
The Human Chess Piece
In the game of chess, each player gets 16 chess pieces. With those chess pieces, it is the players goal to take the other players king. Most chess players will tell you that chess is made up of calculative moves with each player thinking of all possible situations and scenarios that might happen two to three plays later. In comparison to the game of chess, companies function in a similar way.
Similar to the game of chess, a company has rankings withing itself that signifies power and influence. Just like the king is the most important piece in chess, the CEO or the corporation itself can be considered in the same way. Likewise, a company also has those that would be considered pawns. In today’s economy we have a very unique but also scary reality. On one side we have a corporation and on the other we have our opponent, the economy.
If we were to look at the situation as a chess game, the economy is pressing us hard and threatening each and every company. Whether its the small mom and pops stores or the large corporations, everyone feels the pressure of the economy bearing down on them. Like pawns getting picked off a chessboard, corporations are forced to layoff workers in order to stay alive and ‘protect the king.’
Their is no easy way to ‘defeat’ our opponent, but like in chess we must evaluate our the options and make the best choice we can. I believe that Grand Master Chess Player, Emaunel Lasker said it best when he said:
“When you see a good move, look for a better one” – Emanuel Lasker
While the situation is dire and we must make swift decisions, it is not without saying that we must think not only about the instant ramifications of our decisions but also the long term results as well. When certain moves seem like the right one, we must scrutinize it till exhaustion and make sure that we can’t make a better one. Learning from mistakes only makes us smarter and capitalizing on great ideas makes us stronger.
While I have compared corporations and its employees to a chess game, the same can be applied to anyone. Whether it be an individual, a family, or business, everyone in their own certain way is playing against an invisible opponent. Understanding your opponent and the situation is key to success. Without understanding what is going on is like trying to play a sport without knowing the rules.
While some may say that the saying “if at first you don’t succeed try try again” is the best way to approach things, I would disagree and say that it is not always the best approach. What I feel is wrong about that quote is that it says nothing about doing your best or giving it your all. What it should say is:
“Try your best, and if you don’t succeed, try again.”
For some chess players, they can win without even trying. Still, we must not take the ‘game’ we play lightly and must realize that the biggest difference between losing in chess and in real life is that we don’t get a rematch with it.
Drop For Me!
Have you ever wanted to start an online business, but don’t know how? From finding the right personnel to run your daily operations to networking with the right individuals, starting an e-commerce business can be difficult. Understanding how hard it is to start a business, we have launched DropForMe.com. Drop For Me was started with the purpose of helping others who want to start drop shipping or an online business by providing them with a free supplier list.
One of the most difficult parts of starting an online e-commerce site or drop shipping is finding suppliers. While they do exist, it can be time consuming and also frustrating. We realized this and thus DropForMe.com was created.
So how does it work?
1. Go to DropForMe.com
2. Sign up for our free email list
3. Get emailed 3 new suppliers twice a day, 5 days a week!
Simple as that!
The suppliers we have are great for anyone interested in starting their own drop shipping business or even looking for suppliers for their current ones. Not only do our sources drop ship for you but many also offer wholesale.
We also took into account that some of our subscribers may not want to wait 30 days to get the full months list so we do offer the whole list for a small fee of $20.00 with an additional 80 suppliers on the list for a total of 200 suppliers.
I must give credit as well to Peter Shankman who inspired the idea through his “Help A Reporter Out” (HARO) free newsletter. Similar to his goal of helping others, it is our goal at DropForMe.com to help others who are looking for a quality supplier time and money so that they have more time to become successful!.
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Follow us on Twitter: DropForMe
Confidence After Leaving College
Graduating from college I can say that I am smarter and wiser than when I first arrived. While I say that I am smarter and wiser, I wouldn’t say that college fully prepared me for the ‘real world’. Instead college taught me about international trade theory and how to write a paper in proper MLA form. What college didn’t teach me, I had to learn on my own. From learning how to write and prepare a resume, to interviewing, I like so many others felt that college did little to prepare me for the ‘real world.’
Talking to others that recently graduated and are currently looking for a job, lack of confidence in themselves is the biggest weakness that many expressed to me. Whether it’s not being qualified enough for a job or not knowing the direction they are headed, many believe that college’s should have spent more time in helping students prepare for post-graduation plans. Perhaps it is only the university I attended, but I feel that while students had an idea of what career path they wanted to go down it was still vague and unclear.
Consider this quote by the famous Albert Einstein:
“Education is what remains after one has forgotten everything he learned in school.”
I believe that Einstein’s quote reflects the situation that many of those graduating from college will realize in the future. What you learn after college is worth more than what you learn during it. While I am by no means saying that college hasn’t given me tools to succeed in life, but rather I am saying that college needs to do a better job of giving students realistic preparation. Most students will never use econometrics or advanced invertebrate anatomy, but what most students will remember are time management, organizational behavior, how to write a resume and email etiquette. Unfortunately, the things I just listed are all things that aren’t offered through college courses except through career centers. While the career center is a good place to go for resources, ask students if they have been to their career center and most will tell you no or even ask where it is. This of course is subject to scrutiny as no two career centers are alike. Problems such as students not being unable to go to the career center during there often selective hour should not be reason for a student being prepared for the future. If college courses offered classes that were post-graduation focused such as personal finance and personal development courses with no grade and would have no effect on one’s units then I believe that it would be beneficial and many students would opt for it.
Confidence as I mentioned earlier is an element that some college students wish they had more of. Whether its offering classes that are geared toward practical preparation such as resume help or helping students map out post-grad plans, colleges should strive to not only give us the knowledge of numbers and theorems but also to be able to enter the workforce or any endeavor and feel like we are prepared and ready for anything.
The first project that I worked on at Future Delivery was FD Career. FD Career’s motto was “Career Development Made Fun.” Through exercises/quests and networking opportunities, students and young professionals are able to make themselves more well rounded and thus be better prepared. One of the key elements to being productive at work is believing in your product which in this case was FD Career. As a freshman in college I would have loved to have a website like FD Career around to help prepare me for career paths and help me understand the importance of networking and one’s personal brand.
To students and anyone who is looking for a job or even just looking for a direction and help, I leave you with a few words of inspiration from a doctor:
You have brains in your head.
You have feet in your shoes.
You can steer yourself in any direction you choose.
You’re on your own.
And you know what you know.
You are the guy who’ll decide where to go.
~Dr. Seuss
