Let’s talk a little about corporate volatility in regards to employment. It happens all the time, its not personal, but companies grow and retract employee baselines periodically based on various financial and economic factors. I know, Adam and I have both been impacted by company retractions at various times in our corporate careers. On a very elementary level, companies want to increase profits. Basic common sense stuff, right? If a company is more profitable it can grow, be more appealing to stockholders, pay higher bonuses to employees, etc, etc … hence the constant corporate fight for expanding that bottom line. Well, but if you happen to be an employee when a “retraction” occurs, your current corporate job (at least at that company) could be at risk. The one tool you have to being resilient is personal brand development.
Balance Sheet Logic
So I might have told you I went to business school and know a little about balance sheets. By no means am I financial expert, but here is the thing. We already agreed that companies want to grow their bottom lines, right? And, sometimes, more so depending on the time of year. For example 4th quarter can be fairly pivotal for many companies, especially retail companies due to Black Friday and holiday shopping. In fact, a piece of trivia for you. Its called Black Friday because many of these retailers operate in the RED (negative), and then with the increase in sales on Black Friday, their balance sheets finally move into the Black (positive). So you can see how these retailers literally depend on Black Friday sales for the financial success of their business. It is also the last quarter of the year and depending on how a company calculates their fiscal year, it may be their last chance to showcase a strong finish for that year. With this in mind, companies may want to grow their bottom line quickly. Maybe they had to report a less than stellar financial quarter prior or maybe they need additional capital to grow another area of the business.
Well, if you want more money, you have two options. You can sell more or you can reduce expenditures. Both would leave you with more on the bottom line, right? Yes, but not equally so. Depending on the company’s overall strategy and need, sell more may be a great option. It allows for additional growth, but it also comes at an additional cost. You see, to sell more, you have to consider the additional cost of the goods or services that you would be selling above and beyond your normal allotment. There may be an additional cost on variable overhead expenses. Perhaps you set extended hours and electricity costs increase. For extended hours, you would also have to extend the hours of employees, which will increase salary cost. Perhaps you choose to advertise to assist in your strategy in increasing sales, now you have an additional advertising cost. What I am trying to say is to sell more, you also have to spend more. So your bottom line only grows by a fraction of the amount of increased sales. Interesting, right? Also, what if you extend operating hours, buy more product, and advertise but do not increase sales? There is a risk involved because the expense often occurs prior to the sale with no actual guarantee.
Let’s examine the other option. Cut expenses. Companies look to cut expenses all the time. Often, they are small inconsequential changes that make a difference to the bottom line, such as using a digital signing service versus printing every paper out a client must sign (saves paper, ink and wear and tear on the printer). Maybe its providing employees with reusable cups so the company doesn’t have to buy disposable ones anymore (green and it save money). But, sometimes the company needs a larger financial boost. Salaries show up on the balance sheet as a current liability (cost) and is one of the largest if not the largest expense a company has. That’s right, you, my friend are expensive. And, rightly so. A company’s talent is the driver that makes them successful. But, also the most costly. So, what if a company could keep all things constant (i.e. sell the same amount) but reduce headcount? This massive cost reduction hits their balance sheet in a huge way. Almost dollar for dollar. So, that’s it. The company restructures to maintain sales but reduce the human quotient. Its not personal, its a numbers game.
Personal Brand Development
Honestly, your one defense in all this is personal brand development. And, quite frankly, its not going to prevent you from getting laid off but it will help you bounce back faster. Personal brand development is your key to differentiating yourself from everyone else in the job applicant pool. It addresses the question, “Why you?” It gives your “brand”, YOU, a personality and shows you as a self-driven, self-motivated individual, which makes you a desirable candidate.
Thus far, we have really only talked about corporate volatility, i.e. involuntary separation, but personal development is so much more than just being able to find a new job on the occasion you lose your current one. It essentially puts you in the driver’s seat of your career and ultimately allows you to become more agile to the point you can voluntarily and selectively change jobs to your benefit. Some of the most successful, highest paid individuals I know are those who have jumped around company to company stepping up in the corporate hierarchy with each move. They do this, not just through work experience, but also through a consistent strategy of personal development. They read, take courses, go to school, etc … And, also they are shy about promoting themselves, .i.e. they let others know what they are doing.
I believe there are two types of people in this world: those who allow life to tug and pull them this way and that based on events out of their control, and those who take charge of their life by giving themselves options. Personal brand development gives you gives you options. So take that extra course, get that credential, learn that new skill or hobby, go back to school … invest in YOU.
Personal Development Promotion Tactics
There are is a wide range of things you could do towards self-development, but what good is any of it if no one knows about it? Part of self-development is ensuring you are “educating people on your worth.” You should be vocal, visible, and confident in your presentation of YOU. You should be showcasing your abilities, talents, work, education, credentials, etc … but doing so from a “how I can benefit you” point-of-view (POV). You are not bragging, you are promoting your leadership skill and your marketability so that you can become a strong and memorable candidate. So how do you showcase your personal development? Here are some tips:
- Keep your LinkedIn up-to-date.
- Build a personal resume website.
- Put pictures on your sites. Pictures speak a 1000 words, but what are those pictures saying about you? Give thought to your images. Hire a professional photographer to take pictures that represent YOU. A personal branding session is a perfect option for this. More on this next.
Personal Brand Photography can Elevate your Brand
What makes you, you? How do you share who you are in a professional, streamlined and elegant way. We have all seen the notorious cell phone selfie posted on a LinkedIn profile before … its tacky and unprofessional, right? And, yet it seems to be a somewhat of a common offense. When you hire a professional photographer, you are not just asking them to take a picture with their fancy camera, you are asking them for their expertise in posing, lighting, applying angles, possibly wardrobe advice … and so much more. Its not just about delivering a nice photo, but a photo that accurately showcases who are in the very best way. A professional headshot is definitely a must-have and the bare minimum for any of your professional sites. Possibly a couple different variations even, to keep your profile fresh. Keep in mind, your profile image is the first thing a recruiter may see and it may determine whether they choose to click on your profile or scroll on by.
Personal Brand Photography is a little different than just getting a headshot photo taken. This involves an ongoing working partnership with your photographer to capture not just a nice professional image but to capture your unique stories. What is a story you ask? Well your stories are the different sides of you. The different roles and responsibilities we have as we cycle through the different aspects and environments in our life on any given day. We are all complex individuals and are so much more than just a profile. This session captures imagery to show you as a multi-dimensional person. For example, if you have not read my About page or my blog, post, Meet the Woman Behind the Lens now is a great time do so to learn a little more about who I am. I am a wife, mother, photographer, and business owner. These all would be pieces of my “story” and to tell it I would want images reflecting these activities. Personal Brand Photography captures your life stories in a beautiful, professional, and stylish way allowing you to share who you are with the world. It allows you to share things about you that would be relatable to others. If you were looking to hire a photographer, and you simply saw one headshot photo of me on my page …. that wouldn’t tell you much about me. But what if you saw images of me in a professional environment, then one snuggling my girls, cooking dinner for my family, a behind the scenes picture of me taking photos … that would make me more personable, right? Personal Brand Photography allows you to tell your story selectively with curated images to develop trust while controlling the narrative. A Personal Branding Photography session is a great choice for those looking for a new job, those who own their own business, those who are looking to get into college, as well as those professionals who just want to attract more clients.
Visit our Personal Brand Photography by Ethereal Exposures Photography
Subscribe to my blog and stay in touch. [mc4wp_form id=”1791″]
For additional reading, check out these blog posts:
