It will begin as change. It will end in transformation.
In the 1960s and 70s, when young men and women — mostly white men — selected healthcare administration as a career, it was as much a calling as a profession. Either way, it was a job with enormous certainty and security — an industry outlook with ample employment and an opportunity for advancement.
That was then. This is now. The “this” is a career management reality that rewards those who “get it” when it comes to managing their professional/digital brand on line, and those who are stumbling trying to make sense of this digital age which is thwarting their ability to quickly find another job. They cannot believe that something that is so obviously meant for self-absorbed, shameless self-promoters who are borderline narcissists and out-of-touch with the true nature of business leadership, happens to be integral to the advancement of their careers. That something, of course, is social media.
Unless you are a rock star of business with an outsized reputation and hard-working corporate communications office like Jamie Dimon, Chairman and CEO of JP Morgan Chase, Jeff Bezos Founder and CEO of amazon.com, Tim Cook, Chairman and CEO of Apple, Fred Smith, Chairman and CEO of FedEx or Mark Zuckerberg, Founder and CEO of the ubiquitous FaceBook, most recruiters will not know who you are. Exceptions to the rule? Yes, but if I were you, in this market, I would not bet my future on exceptions to the rule. I would enter the job market understanding that I need to make myself and my value known. That is what personal branding and networking are all about.
Marshall Goldsmith‘s (who has written on the subject of career management) last book title should serve as a clarion call for executives in every industry, “What Got You Here Won’t Get You There.” He was not talking about personal branding in the digital world but his theme is spot on.
A better book, The Road to Recognition, one that I am now in the midst of reading/marking up is an excellent how-to for building your digital brand. But be prepared, it is pricey.
This is a relatively new field and there are other cheaper sources of information, Seth Price and Barry Feldman come highly recommended.
I am someone who embraces new ideas and change but not everyone does and not every change trend takes hold and lasts. Hoping that the digital impact on career management is not a lasting reality is just a pipe dream. It is here to stay. If you are in your early forties and have resisted its requirements, I think not adapting now, no, yesterday, is a terribly bad idea.
The transformation has arrived.
If you would like a no-obligation review of your digital brand and the next steps you need to take to be competitive, email the firm: CareerTransitions@JohnGSelf.Com. We will arrange a free career management consultation.