Reinventing Yourself

“We judge ourselves by what we feel capable of doing, while others judge us by what we have already done.”
Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

Almost 30 years ago I made a decision to leave the world of the American factory where I had toiled for 9 years and make a move to a research and development laboratory. I reinvented myself. Recently I came across an article entitled “Reinventing Your Personal Brand” by Dorie Clark, in the Harvard Business Review. The author is the CEO of a consulting firm that specializes in helping clients build brand reputation and increase sales. As I wish to reinvent myself once again when I retire, I found the article quite interesting.

The author has reinvented herself on numerous occasions. Besides her current position in the consulting business she has been a journalist, a political operative, the executive director of a nonprofit, a filmmaker, and she has studied theology at Harvard. Dorie Clark has found there are five steps to successful transition to a new personal brand.

1)Define Your Destination

In order to achieve goals, I believe we must set goals. We must start with a clear understanding of what we truly desire before we can work towards achieving that end. If we lack goals, then life just happens to us, like a ship without a rudder, drifting where wind and current would take her. I am still playing with retirement possibilities. I do not yet have a clearly defined goal. The author would suggest that I experiment with these possibilities, read trade journals, volunteer in related positions, or take a VocationVaction that enables a brief apprenticeship with a surprisingly diverse group of professions. She also suggests seeking out a mentor in an area of interest or taking a sabbatical from your current life.

Once we have a goal, it is necessary to obtain the skills and certifications necessary for that profession. Sometimes that would require formal training either in an educational institution or directly from a qualified practitioner. Sometimes moving to a new profession requires a portfolio. For example if I was considering journalism as a post retirement career, I would currently have over 180 examples of my craft on this blog. It is important to remember that success in one area often requires skills in many areas. I have observed that successful artists are often skilled sales and marketing professionals even if they would never admit that such a thing was true.

2)Leverage Your Points of Difference

Why are you unique? The author believes that the answer to this question is what people will remember and what will give you a foot in the door. Never completely abandon your old brand, use it to make yourself especially valuable in your new world. After I decided I wanted to move to research and development, I went back to school to earn a BS in Mechanical Engineering. When I arrived at my new place of employment I tried to become the hardware and operations man in my group. With 9 years experience in Industrial Engineering, plant scheduling, and direct supervision I knew how to get things made and how to run a test. The author points to the example a woman who moved from working for a nonprofit to traffic engineering. I might add there are not many women in Civil Engineering and related construction intensive businesses. At her new job, she pointed out she could add value by looking at problems from a different perspective. She told her coworkers, “You know how to build roads. But I worked in the community where you’re building the roads, and here is how it impacts people.”

3)Develop a Narrative

Given the authors explanation of this point, I believe I would have termed it, Develop a Believable Narrative. The author points out that an individual with many interests is frequently and often unfairly viewed as a dilettante. She proposes the example of a business journalist who wants to write restaurant reviews. He could explain how his past led to the present by stating, “I use to write about the business side of many industries, including food and wine. I realized my big picture knowledge of agricultural trends and business finance uniquely positioned me to cover restaurants from a different perspective.”

Never, ever, explain your transition in terms of your own interests. No one cares if you are bored in your current job or attempting to discover your true inner self. Instead focus on the value your prior experience offers your future employer or customers. The author believes this is particularly important for young people graduating from college into today’s economy. If the only job you can find is flipping burgers at a fast food restaurant your resume might point out that you have been “learning valuable skills on the front line of a customer service organization,” as you try to move into your desired field of endeavor. The author emphasizes that your narrative must be consistent with your past. She points out the example of politicians who are eviscerated by their enemies and the press for attempting a “poll-driven personality change.”

4)Reintroduce Yourself

The author believes this is the hardest part of any personal transformation. She points out the most people you have known really aren’t paying much attention to you. Their perceptions are based on experiences that may be far out of date. It is necessary to reintroduce yourself to your network of friends and clients as these contacts are likely to provide you with your first leads to a new job. They might even become the nucleus of our new customer base. Make sure all your Facebook, LinkedIn, and personal website are consistent and up to date. Dorie Clark suggests the use of personal messages rather than email blasts as you move into your new profession. Tell your contacts, friends, and acquaintances about the new direction you are taking, and then ask them for help, advice, or business as appropriate. In reintroducing yourself, it is inevitable that you will have to address some negative perceptions. Avoid the trap of falling into old behavior patterns when provoked, but stick to a behavior pattern that is consistent with your new aspirations. The author encourages the reader to look for high visibility, strategic opportunities to leverage the unveiling of your new interests and abilities. Examples would include volunteering on political campaigns or major new “bet the company” projects. Don’t be afraid to take jobs that no one else wants such as administrative or clerical duties to get an opportunity to meet crucial movers and shakers in your new field.

5)Prove Your Worth

This almost goes without saying. A degree from a prestigious university might get you your first job, but from then on you are ultimately responsible for your own success or failure. Repeated studies have pointed out how many senior executives came from public institutions (often second tier public institutions) rather than Ivy League or similar elite universities. Clark points out that in the new world of electronic media everyone is required to have a portfolio. Present examples of your unique intellectual property on your website by means of blogs, podcasts, and videos. Once you have successes, don’t be afraid to ask for endorsements from your customers. Other methods to advertise your worth include, publishing in respected journals, speaking at conferences, or taking on roles in your trade association. The author observes that consistent effort to improve your visibility, connections, and credibility can produce significant results. Clark recommends considering this process a “search engine optimization for your life: The more connections you make and the more value and content you regularly add to the stream, the more likely it is that your new brand will be know, recognized, and sought out.”