"The days of the mammoth corporations are coming to an end. People are going to have to create their own lives, their own careers, and their own successes. Some people may go kicking and screaming into this new world, but there is only one message there. You’re now in business for yourself." - Robert Schaen, Former Controller, Ameritech

Whether you are thinking about making a career change or satisfied in your current position but still don’t know what your skills are, it’s time to discover your abilities and strengths and what makes you marketable.

The world of work has changed. In the past, as long as you did your job and met expectations, you were paid. According to William Bridges, author of "Creating You and Co" and "Jobshift," "Jobs were slots, boxes and pigeonholes. Jobs demanded performance in a script that was already written".

Those days are over. Today, whether you are working in a "for profit" or "not for profit," employers pay for results and what you can produce for them. And those that are succeeding are the ones that know what they have to offer and what they are capable of doing better than some of their competition. It’s also about taking charge of your own career and knowing your marketable and transferable skills.

You might be asking…So what does this have to do with Marketing Brand You? ALOT! Any marketing professional will tell you that one of the first things you have to know about a product before you put a marketing plan together is to know the benefits…What makes this product different? Why should I buy it? How will it benefit me (and maybe my team)? Translating this to your job and/or career means knowing what YOU have to offer, what makes YOU different and why Mr. or Ms. HR person should hire YOU?

It is imperative in today’s competitive job market to know YOU. By knowing what you have to offer and then marketing and branding yourself as the person with that information, will help to separate you from your competition. Your marketability will depend on your ability to demonstrate, on paper and verbally, your skills (even if within the same organization).

If you don’t know what skills you offer (and therefore not sure how to market your brand)…FIND OUT! There are various types of assessments you can take, some available online, such as checklists, card sorts and experience stories. If you need some help preparing your list, hire a career coach or counselor. Don’t forget to include the "soft" skills as well as the "hard" skills when putting your list together. They can be just as important when marketing you.

And if you think you know what you have to offer and how to brand yourself…GREAT! I would encourage you to look beyond your current skill set and look at developing additional benefits of "brand you." By asking yourself the following questions (and discussing with your peers, friends, family and/or "board of advisors"), you should be able to come up with specific ways you might want to work on improving your product…you, in the next 6 months.

1. I am known among my peers or co-workers for these projects or skills.
   
2. My current project is challenging and provocative to me in these ways.
   
3. In the past 3 months, I have learned the following new things that will help me to move forward.
   
4. 3 important people that I have added to my Rolodex (or Palm Pilot) in the last 3 months.
   
5. By next year at this time, I would like to be known for these skills or projects.

In addition to knowing your skills, abilities and experience, when developing your marketing plan, I would also encourage you to:

1. determine the needs of your target market.
   
2. develop YOUR personal brand statement that says why you are the best candidate.
   
3. tailor your brand statement to the specific job.
   
4. and let people know about your brand…NETWORK, NETWORK! Get the visibility that your brand needs (and deserves).

Knowing your product takes time and energy. AND is well worth it!