Secrets of On-Line Branding, Part 2

Continuing with Merideth Levensen’s article, point number two is:

2. Having an unfocused brand: Simply assigning a job title to yourself isn’t branding.

First, simply assigning a job title is foolish. Job titles mean different things to different people, different companies, and in different countries. For example:

• An EVP or SVP in a small company which usually includes less responsibility than a typical Director in a large company.
• A VP in a bank is usually less than a Senior Manager in a large company.
• A Senior Manager in a UK company can be similar to a Managing Director in a U.S. company.

In other words, simply assigning a job title can mean very little and even be confusing. You can easily understate or overstate who you really are. Astute hiring managers are not fooled. Those who make this mistake are often recognized as “not getting it”. Ouch.

Branding is not some simple idea that someone tells you to do and you check off the need to brand yourself. Branding is a major lifelong process that companies take seriously. You should too.