Many times I write as I’m sitting at my desk looking out at the city (Chicago) streets below filled with traffic, people, and energy. Today’s blog is different; I’m writing it from one of my favorite spots, Starbucks. I love writing here because, other than fresh coffee, it provides a continuous flow of energy, which is my ideal mix for great writing.
1969 or The GAP
Directly across from this Starbucks is 1969, the newest denim store on the block. You’ve likely shopped here without knowing it. If you’ve ever shopped at The GAP, you’ve bought 1969 jeans and vice versa. The GAP figured out that that they had a great mix for suburban success but their urban cocktail was missing a few ingredients.
Urbanites found GAP stores less trendy and fashionable leaving GAP out of an entire market. Solution? Open a trendy, urban boutique shop under a new brand, and market urban style clothing only. Enter 1969.
The market’s view of you
Today’s job market is highly competitive and overcrowded. When you’re job searching and putting yourself out there, creating a personal brand is key and being different is essential. How does the market view you?
If you’ve done sales for 10 years, have you also been engaged in marketing activities and team management? What ways, other than your primary job function can you re-brand and market yourself? What markets are you losing out on by sticking with your core strengths only?
Talent and a thesaurus
Integrating a new marketing strategy for your personal brand can feel overwhelming. It’s easier than you think if you put your pen to paper and list your talents. When you’re done, use the thesaurus to help you find creative ways to develop a market-focused resume. It’s okay to have a marketing resume and sales resume as well as a personal branding statement that matches each. That’s called a smart and savvy job search strategy.
Here’s a recipe to get your job search success cocktail started off right this holiday season: 4 Oz. Talent, 2 0z. Creativity & a dash of luck and shake well!
