Presentation to students as part of NDTA Mentor - Protege Program

1. Enhancing your Personal Brand
Mentor – Protégé Program
Brian Waters

2. Agenda
• Networking and introductions
• Warm up drill – Elevator Speeches
• New skill introduction: Building your brand
• Guest Presenter: : "Career path considerations
when working for a motor carrier"
Brendan Mazur
Averitt Express
• Wrap up

3. February 2015 Mentor Protégé Event
Mentor – Protégé Program

4. What is a brand?
The marketing practice of
creating a name, symbol or
design that identifies and
differentiates a product from
other products

5. What is a personal brand?
Personal Branding is about identifying and then
communicating what makes you unique and relevant and
differentiated

6. What my co-workers envision when they hear my name…

7. What my boss envisions when he hears my name…

8. What my Mom envisions when she hears my name…

9. What you get when you Google my name…

10. Your personal brand is all about who you are and what you
want to be known for
• We want to project an image of professionalism that will
cause employers to be eager to hire us
• Your image is not a logo, but it is present in everything you
touch
– Resume
– Wardrobe
– Social media
– Method of communication
• You can’t change your image overnight, but you can develop
your brand to enhance your image
• A strong, authentic personal brand helps you become known
for what you're good at, sets you apart from everyone else,
and can position you as a niche expert
4 Simple steps to building
your brand

11. Step 1:
Determine your appeal
• Make a list of words that best describe
these features of your personality
– Consider your personality
– How do I make people feel?
– How do people benefit by working with me?
– What words do others use to describe me?

12. Step 2:
Determine Your Description
• Develop a descriptive modifier that brings out
how you want people to feel about you
– Dynamic public speaker
– Certified export specialist
• Consider these questions
– What field or industry am I in (or do I want to be in)?
– What are the words I would use to describe my work?
– Who is my target audience?

13. Step 3:
Determine Your Function
• Write down what you do (or will do) as it relates
to your career plan:
– Manager
– Analyst
– Supply chain expert
• What service do I have to offer people?
• What do I do that makes me stand out from
everyone else?

14. Step 4:
Put it all together
• Look at your three lists of words, and see how
you can combine them into a short sentence or
phrase—no more than five words.
• It can be a description:
– Energetic supply chain professional
– Versatile logistics analyst
• Or a mantra:
– Motivating others to do their best
– Inspiring excellence in operations
– No broken bones with Alfred Jones

15. What do we do with our brand?
• Simple statement that remains on the tip of your
tongue when there is no time for an elevator
speech
• Enhances your self awareness
• Narrows down your goals and helps communicate
them
• Helps you stand out from the rest
• Breathes new life into your career documents:
– Business card
– Resume
– LinkedIn profile

16. Consider this…
Go confidently in the direction of your dreams.
Live the life you've imagined.
-Henry David Thoreau