The Idea in Brief
People use career changes to reinvent themselves all the time, but it’s important to manage one’s brand in such transitions. Doing so can spell the difference between a bungled change and a successful one.
There are five key steps in any personal rebranding:
1. Define your destination and acquire the necessary skills.
2. Craft a unique selling proposition and distinguish yourself by leveraging your points of difference.
3. Develop a narrative that describes your transition in terms of the value it offers others.
4. Reintroduce yourself, using digital media and seizing opportunities to showcase your capabilities.
5. Prove your worth by establishing and promoting your track record.
Traces of your old brand may linger, but a carefully considered strategy and the ability to create unique value in your changed role will help your new brand take hold.
You’ve worked long and hard, sacrificing to build a solid reputation. When you’re out of the room, you know what they’re saying: He’s an innovative marketer. She’s a terrific patent lawyer. He knows everything about the Latvian export market. But what if you now want to rebrand yourself?