Tips and Tools for Achieving Your Brand!
YOUR DEGREE IS NOT YOUR BRAND
Why You May Not Be Attaining the Level of Success You Desire
As a professor, I will be the first to tell you that I believe getting your education is one of the most rewarding things you can accomplish in life. It’s like participating in a very long, unwinding obstacle course where you cross the finish line, with degree in hand, and look at the world and say – I did it, watch out I’m coming! Personally, I have attained three degrees, been to over 15 graduations and have been a feature speaker for one. So let's just say I know quite a bit about school, graduation and life thereafter :) Thus, as it is graduation season globally, I thought it was a good time to share with you how you should use your educational pursuits to build a strong, successful and sustainable brand.
The Value of Education
Educational institutions have been under attack for the past decade or so. There’s a school of thought that believes that the cost/benefit tradeoff for procuring your degree is not worth it. They advocate that you are paying an exorbitant price for content that you can learn at a cheaper cost on your own from books, online forums or whatever alternative resource you choose. Others advocate bypassing college to build an entrepreneurial brand (that’s for another post). I understand the concern over the cost of education, no one can argue that truth, however, I do believe that these critics are viewing the educational experience from a myopic perspective. They see it simply as a ‘content’ focused endeavor instead of a holistic experience. They undervalue the strength of having a structure in place to succeed, a community of like peers, the holistic support/mentorship of professors, and the copious access to training, coaching, and resources available to help students connect with corporate mentors, internships and careers after college. If students utilize all there is to offer from the collegiate experience, the cost of attaining a degree will provide a considerable return on investment. Building my Brand through My College Experience Best Advice In 1998, I got to the US excited about earning a college degree in a new country, foreign culture and different educational system. I was curious and welcomed the challenges this new, 'sky is the limit' experience had to offer. As I was about to embark on my freshman year, I remembered my sister giving me the best advice, she said, “Raedene, you will only have ONE college experience, while focusing on your academics, make sure that you get the most out of your college experience by participating in extra curricula activities.” She continued, “I wish I had done that, it was my one regret.” I took her advice to heart. I realized that I had this golden opportunity to not only soar academically, but also stretch myself to discover new strengths and develop my natural skillsets. Therefore, understanding that I was building a brand, not merely getting a degree, I sought out opportunities for growth and new experiences, and when asked to participate in campus events - I said yes! Scatting the Globe In thinking of extra curricula activities I could explore, I started with my passions. I loved to sing, so my freshman year I was advised to join the Vocal Jazz Ensemble. I joined, even though I knew nothing about Jazz and never scatted (freestyle singing in jazz) a day in my life. It was an intimidating learning curve as you can imagine, but an invaluable experience. Through this adventure, I was thought the value of not shying away from the unknown and pushing myself to grow through the uncomfortable stage. As a result, I learned a new musical genre and vocal skills, traveled to various cities in the US for concerts, and got to visit Switzerland and France for the Montreux and Vienne Jazz Festivals. Being willing to explore a new experience and expand my skillsets, provided me with increased confidence to overcome new challenges and expand my global cultural perspective. Managing the Big Stage My singing also led me to participate in two musicals. Even though I did not have a theater/acting background, it seemed fun and I was curious. I learned the value of encompassing a role and executing it with conviction on a big stage. The confidence gained from performing on stage helped me with my next challenge of running for the queen of my school at the end of my junior year. The reason I explored this endeavor wasn't because I ever viewed myself as the pageant queen type, but because in my freshman year a worker at the social security office, a pastor, randomly asserted that in my junior year I would run for the queen of my school and win. “Ha!” I thought to myself, “me? I am really not a pageant girl." But when my junior year approached, my curiosity got the better of me and I said, "why not? I can only grow from this experience." So I built a team, launched my campaign, and competed. I won the pageant portion of the race (his prediction was partly true) however came third overall in the final voting to be the female representative for university. What did I learn? I learned project management skills, how to maintain my poise under pressure, how to articulate answers to unpredictable questions and how to embody an institutional brand. Ready to Launch So in the end I graduated summa cum laude with a degree in Business Management and a host of fruitful life and personal growth experiences from my successes and failures in college. I had my checklist ready: 1) degree; 2) internship experience and 3) evidence of extra curricula activities to show that I can be a multi-dimensional employee for any corporation. Now why does this backstory matter? Because your host of experiences unlocks the key to your future success. Keys to Success You can read a million books on individual success stories and you would seldom see a heavy focus on their degree as the sole reason for their success. Now their degree sets the foundation for their positioning and credibility, but what you will actually learn is the host of qualities that made them successful. You see, you cannot only rely on getting a degree to dominate the competition because many others also have a degree. Dominating the competition requires you to translate your educational experience into a lethal combination of hard and soft skills that makes you a valuable asset to any corporation seeking someone with your skillsets. Basically, your degree gets you to the interview, but your complete package offerings gets you the job over your competitors. Below are 5 major qualities that you would need to possess in combination with your degree to dominate the competition. 1.Degree + Confidence 2.Degree + Polish You can graduate with highest honors, but if you did not take the time to build your soft skills including: dressing for the part, being articulate, being punctual, and being respectful and polite, you are going to find it rather difficult to succeed at the level you desire. Gatekeepers expect you to have a certain level of polish and gravitas to be chosen as the best candidate for the job. Even if you want to go the entrepreneurial route, you are still selling yourself to get the business– so you still have not one, but many bosses to impress :) 3.Degree + Corporate Fit A big reason individuals get hired is because they have that ‘culture match’ with the corporation. Many corporations are seeking so much more than your degree, they are seeking a complementary 'match'. Companies invest so much time and money in the hiring process that they need to ensure that they get their return on investment by you having a fruitful career with their firm, which means that they like you, and you like them, for the long-term. So while I do not advocate becoming a chameleon for each firm you interview with and having a multiple identity crisis, I do think you must prioritize the importance of ‘culture fit’ and learn the best way to communicate that you will flourish and be an asset to that firm. 4.Degree + Added Value Corporations and investors want to know that if they work with you there will be synergy: 1+1 = 3. You have to show up, deliver, and then wow people with you ingenuity, innovative solutions, and strength to take on the big challenges that most will shy away from. Corporations are always looking for game changers within their community who can wear multiple hats and are not afraid to step up when called. These individuals not only do their jobs well, but can also represent the organization at fundraising or community events, give presentations, or contribute to closing a huge potential client. They are the best that corporate brand has to offer and the faces of their future leaders. 5.Degree + Global Mindset The world has gotten truly small with major advancements in technology which allows for faster, seamless communication across supply chains and global markets. There is a growing need for companies to think about diversity and inclusion and how they are appealing not only to global markets for business, but creating a healthy work environment that supports a diversified workforce. Therefore, they are looking for candidates who are able to thrive in diverse environments, properly represent them in global markets and not be a liability for the public relations of the firm. Understanding that everyone’s ability to travel the globe is limited by resources, having diverse friends and learning about diverse cultures do not cost a thing besides a hello and a cultural book. The Charge So my message to you is simple: If you think having a degree or many degrees is going to be the reason you build a strong, sustainable and successful brand, you are wrong. You have to think of it in this way: 'how are people who do not have degrees able to succeed and surpass my level of success when I am the one with an educational background?' The truth is they know that they have a shortcoming, they know that in a society where the ticket to get past the corporate gatekeeper is a college diploma, they have to work twice as hard and be twice as good, to strategically position themselves to succeed. And understand that I am referring to the regular Joe and Jill who were not born into a privileged background and afforded a shortcut to success due to access to deep financial pockets and networks of influential people. People who come from privileged backgrounds have access to resources that you may not have. I am challenging you to think about the value of you, the value of your entire brand, and not just one aspect of it. People are hiring YOU! Thus, the sooner you realize that your degree will get you in the door but does not determine your success, the faster you will admit that the time is now to build a brand that dominates the competition and takes you to the top! Your degree is only worth your preparedness and communication of what you are worth with it in hand! To join ABC's exclusive club to receive more resources on Personal Brand Development, subscribe below.
Dr. Raedene Copeland is a professor, speaker, coach, and brand consultant to individuals and businesses locally and globally! If you love what you read, comment, share, and like us on facebook.
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Successful people may not have all the experience or know all the answers to life’s questions, but they have faith and confidence that they can find solutions. They do not take 'no' for an answer and keep pushing until they succeed knowing that they are only limited by their perspective on the challenge at hand. When asked to take on a new task, they say "Yes Please", then access the mentors and resources to excel at it!
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