The Terrible "B" Word (Transitioning from the Army Series, Part 7)

Today I want to talk about a dirty word. I'm normally not a crass or vulgar man, and while I do indulge in the odd curse word on this blog, it's primarily for dramatic effect and written only after consideration. So I don't take writing this word lightly. But it's high time I addressed this issue, and there just isn't a way too without using this horrible, rotten, no good word. I've avoided it for as long as I can, but it is finally the day of reckoning. Today, we're going to talk about your BRAND.

The Brand storm approaches

Ah yes, your "brand". Everyone wants to talk about brands these days. It's all about "brand management" or "building your brand". There are "brand gurus" who charge Fortune 500 companies outrageous amounts of money to help improve their "brand value"*. Brand, brand, brand, brand, brand. Barf.

What is this elusive brand and just why in the Seven Hells is it so important? I describe it as the summation of your life experience, key attributes, strengths, and goals, all condensed into a tight little package for easy consumption. Basically, everything you'd want someone to know about you that could be expressed in one breath. Think of it as your business card or a "one-slider" presentation of who you are. Perhaps it's your elevator pitch that you can use to woo your next employer. It's how you're known around the office, what people describe you as when they're asked about you, and the reputation you've earned. Is it nearly impossible to collect and condense something as complex as a human being's total summation of life experiences into an easily digestible sound bite? Well, um, yeah, it is. Sorry. Better get started.

Listen friends, because I keep returning to this point over the course of all my blog posts. Transitioning from the military isn't easy. Getting a new job isn't easy. There are many different reasons why this is true, but one of the biggest is the limitations we all have in terms of cognition. I've had some long talks with recruiters for renowned international companies. These people see hundreds of resumes every day, with many of those resumes belonging to intelligent, highly qualified individuals. It's a numbing experience, as these resumes quickly become a fungible commodity, each looking like the next. Oh, you spent a semester abroad and learned the value of another culture's perspective? That's sooooooooo interesting, tell me all about it.

sarcasm

Standing out from the crowd is hard. That's why your "brand" is such a valuable asset. You've got to be able to set yourself apart. Luckily, being a veteran gives you a leg up, IF YOU TAKE ADVANTAGE OF IT. Get it? Got it? Good.

So unless you've got a top-notch life coach helping you craft your life's work into a catchy narrative, you're probably wondering just what you're supposed to be doing about this "brand" thing you supposedly have. Behind all this buzzword mumbo-gumbo lies an immensely important truth:

If you don't stand out, you'll stand in line*

I met a guy named Joe (not his real name) few months ago. Joe was a little behind me in the transition process, so I was able to impart a few of the hard-learned lessons from my on-going transition so he didn't have to get quite as bruised up as me (and hopefully you too!) Joe was an ambitious guy, rightly so given his background, with his eyes on Wall St. One of Joe's issues was he wasn't sure how exactly to stand out from the crowd. It was a legitimate concern. Every day (and even more coming soon, THANKS OBAMA), 100s of service members leave active duty and attempt to join the civilian work force. That's a lot of competition on top of an already high-stakes job market, especially as we aim farther up the ladder towards the more lucrative jobs. So how can Joe stand out from the crowd, when there's another 50 guys and gals just like him, with similar resumes, all vying for the same job and only a couple of seconds to make that vital first impression? That, my friends, is why your brand is so important. Easily digestible impressions set yourself apart.

Joe has numerous talents, life-changing experiences, and highly valued attributes. Big frakin' deal. So do those other 49 individuals trying for the same job at Goldman Sachs. But you know what those other 49 individuals didn't have on their resume that Joe did? That he drove a gorram SUBMARINE. Yeah, those nuclear powered silent killers of the deep that are piloted by Sean Connery.

Suck it, Trebek.

That was the critical "cherry on the top" for Joe's brand. When everyone is already a high-performing, results-oriented, go-getter, the necessity to make your brand unique and easily remembered is absolute. Ask yourself which of these two introductions is easier to remember:

1) Hi! My name is Joe and I'm a proven organizational leader who is passionate about leading cross-functional teams in high stakes environments to achieve success.

2) Hi! My name is Joe and I'm a proven organizational leader who is passionate about leading cross-functional teams in high stakes environments to achieve success. Oh, and I drive a nuclear powered submarine at work.

It's not even a contest. Joe may tank future interviews, but, by the blessings of R'hllor, Lord of Light, the Heart of Fire, God of Flame and Shadow (yeah, it's a long title), he will be remembered. Hell, Joe didn't even actually drive the submarine, but that doesn't really matter, because he made himself stand out. He can correct himself at the next interview (which he will of course nail).

puppy intermission. Just because

Defining and refining your brand is both easy and difficult for service members. It's easy because many of us have suffered significant trials that have tested us far beyond what our civilian peers have. Those great stories you have of crawling through the mud at boot camp, calling for mortar fire on an enemy position in Afghanistan, or pulling a drunk Marine out of a Singaporean jail? Those form the nucleus of how you pull away from the rest of the crowd, because I assure you, no HBS graduate has any stories like you do.

Conversely, it's also extremely difficult for us because so many of us are uncomfortable when talking about our time in service. Lord knows I hate it. But you have every right to draw on all your life's experiences in order to make yourself stand out (unless you're a JSOC person or have signed an NDA) and frankly, it you want the job, you'll need to swallow your pride and talk about it. I hate talking about myself and my service, so trust me, I KNOW, I GET IT. But I hate not having a job and my family not being secure a whole lot more. I'm a Green Beret, and while it makes my skin absolutely crawl to admit that publicly because I strongly believe in the concept of a Quiet Professional, that fact is a crucial part of my brand and makes me considerably more memorable to potential employers. I can't say for certain if that has directly improved my chances, but I do know for certain that interviewers easily remembered me because I was "that Army ninja guy" (true quote from a recruiter). And while some people will ask me if a Green Beret is like a Navy SEAL, and I suppress my urge to go full Patrick Bateman, I smile and say something like "yeah, kinda like a SEAL, only for the Army" because either way, it works. It makes me stand out instead of stand in line.

Oh yeah, sure, SEALs and Green Berets are identical. Hold on just a second, I need to show you my newest garden tool

Don't just limit yourself to your recent jobs. Include your passions, your extracurriculars, and side projects. This blog is part of my brand, as it's a mechanism through which I explain how I think, what my leadership style is like, and is a bit of a window into my mind. My participation in adventure races over the past decade is another portion of my brand. My family is a HUGE part of my brand, as their success is my success. Whether John 3:16 or Austin 3:16 plays a big part in your life, you've got to get those components across so the other sides understands you better. You get the idea, right? You're a peacock, baby, you gotta fly!

*Dang, that was a clever line. I'm putting in a trademark on that. I see a 6 figure book deal in my near future.