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Personal branding lesson from Chicago (the band)

Chicago is a band that started in the late 60’s and had hits extending well into the ‘80s. They toured with Jimi Hendrix who considered Chicago’s lead guitar player better than him. You can hear their music everywhere as recent as two years ago with airtime on popular, rock, and soul stations—a rarity at that time.

Gaining employment is not about remembering a face, but the product, your work. That is why this personal branding lesson from Chicago should resonate with those concerned about how he or she looks.

Now, I’ll allow you to Google their early album covers to see what their faces. OK, notice the expressions. Notice that there are no faces. Did you know that they did not show their faces on any of the album covers in the 70s. In fact, not for their first 17 albums.

The band members could shop, go to clubs, get arrested, and no one would associate their faces with the band. Chicago had as many hits as the Rolling Stones during the 70s and yet, they can walk the streets, and have #1 records.

They had a TV special that featured Al Green (another major star in that period), and yet, band members could freely roam the streets without being mobbed.

So if you have a strong product, it should sell without the face like Chicago did years ago, right? Well, this justifies your faceless social profiles, right? Well, hold on a second. How great is the product YOU offer?

Has your career produced a body of work that speaks for itself? Or do you continue to talk your way into an opportunity. By the way, that’s necessary but too much talking can sound like a car salesman at the end of the month.
Does your personality stand out more than your accomplishments? Being liked is an important attribute, but the people can sense you have charmed your way to career success (or not).
How much do you have to talk to substantiate your value? If you don’t demonstrate any quantitative or qualitative value on your résumé, you can talk too much and right out of a job.

Years later, I don’t remember women swooning over Chicago members looks as I do hearing people talk about the music. Job seekers need to heed the advice that helps their contributions stand out. Gimmicks and tricks are help sometimes, but can employer become excited about the solutions he or she offers.

So does anyone really know where their career really stands? Does anyone really care? (Pretty bad Chicago lyric paraphrasing, eh?)

What challenges do you face in standing out to employers? Please comment below. Let me help.

by Mark Anthony Dyson

Jobseekers, Give Some Love to Your LinkedIn Profile Headline

Small branding statements can bring some interest to potential employers if you put the time in.

Right now, go to this article and read Pete Leibman’s (@PeteLeibman) article, “Is Your LinkedIn Headline Killing Your Personal Brand”on Dan Schwabel’s Personal Branding Blog. Pete, like other career experts, have made it clear that this is a key part of a functional LinkedIn profile, and makes your profile more attractive to lurking employers and recruiters. If his name sounds familiar, I reviewed his book last March and published his interview with me last April. Your LinkedIn headline is the first thing people use to decide to read on. That’s why it must be eye-catching and interesting. It’s critical.

In short, Pete offers this formula for a great LinkedIn headline:

“Step 1: Say WHAT you are.
Step 2: Say WHO you help.
Step 3: Say HOW you make their life/work better.
Step 4: Give PROOF that you are credible. ”

“Public Relations Specialist…” is BORING and says nothing! Leibman’s suggestion is much more functional. I would suggest to Jane Jobseeker this:

Public Relations Specialist increased media visibility for the Acme Company from 20,000 to 40,000 newsletter subscribers

This fits perfectly into the 120 character limit requirement with spaces!

There are a few other philosophies out there, but this is an interesting approach that would help you stand out. You are accomplishing several things:

1) You are stating your purpose. When potential business partners/employers look at your profile they understand your career direction.

2) You don’t have to say that you are a “problem-solver.” Instead a direct approach is professional and impressive.

3) Your accomplishments are featured. Awards, recognition, expertise, and the results highlighted inspire others to read more of your profile.

People often use the space just to say who he or she is professionally. Do just that if you want to be like everyone else. Again, approach this space as a way to sell yourself, and stand out. It will take some time to tweak and re-write but your profile will get a few more looks if you take the time to create an effective profile.

Keep in mind that you have 120 characters in that space. How does your headline look now? Comment below.

by SandraTedford

5 Reasons Why Employers Should Hire Entrepreneurs

Editor’s note: Sandra Tedford (@WeTalkToday) offers an excellent post today on the value of hiring an entrepreneur. She is the CEO of WeTalkToday.com and is a regular contributor here.

Shanghai entrepreneur demonstrating their 2-way video conferencing + chat over current GPRS cell linksâ€¦. making this â€œBerry-Pieâ€ sweeter than my Blackberryâ€¦.I just realized that with the nested loops, I am in this photo ...

Every employer wants an employee who’s a motivated self-starter, and more employers should hire entrepreneurs. However, most employers spend way too much time looking for bodies to fill positions instead of assets that will add to the growth of their organization. Innovative leaders are needed to lead companies forward, yet few employers are willing to hire people that know more about their business than they do.

Why are employers reluctant to hire entrepreneurs? Because there’s an assumption that it’s difficult for entrepreneurs to relinquish control and allow another individual to take ownership. Most entrepreneurs are comfortable in taking the lead and being the boss. However, one virtue employers often overlook an entrepreneur’s ability to know when to lead and when to follow. To be a good leader, you must know when it’s appropriate to listen and when to give input.

Below are a few additional skills entrepreneurs hold that make them invaluable to employers

Understands the Big Picture: Entrepreneurs understand every aspect of business including raising capital, managing budgets, creating benchmarks and measurements, and marketing and promotions. They understand the difference between revenue and profit. They understand how their decisions regarding investments, capital expenditures, and cash flow affect the business short term and long term. Why? Because they’re accustomed to wearing many hats. Every role within the organization is often filled by the business owner. If they fail to produce results, they don’t have to look very far to figure out what needs to change.

Understands Victories Are Short-Lived: Entrepreneurs are constantly looking for ways to improve or top a previous success. Celebrating successes or milestones are important. Most entrepreneurs have a long term vision of where they want to go. Getting comfortable is not an option.

Takes Bold Risks: Employers want to hire someone who’s not afraid to take risks within reason to grow the business. More importantly, an entrepreneur that’s familiar with failure is typically more intuitive in their decision making concerning the business. Of course, this doesn’t apply to every entrepreneur. I know there’s some who never grasp what it takes to run a successful business. Those who’ve learned from their mistakes and are constantly learning how to improve are in a better position when opportunities come along.

Passionate about Their Business: Most entrepreneurs typically start businesses in an industry in which they’re passionate. This sets entrepreneurs apart from the average job seeker because they’re more likely to acquire knowledge that will add value to the company. Employees with an entrepreneurial mindset enjoy learning about various aspects of the business on their own time.

Understands the Value of Relationships: Entrepreneurs are more likely to engage in activities related to their industry outside of normal work hours including networking online and offline. Those that excel at networking have a valuable network and connections to other business owners in their industry. This is a bonus for employers especially if the entrepreneur has access to decision makers at companies they want to do business with in the future. Cultivating healthy business relationships is an asset and skill every employee should be required to develop.

Every employer desires a team of professionals that are resilient and armed with a strong entrepreneurial drive. If you look at hiring entrepreneurs as an investment rather than a challenge, the returns will pay off for your organization.

We’d love to get your input. If you’re an employer whose hired entrepreneurs in the past, what was your experience? Let us know?