|| Recreating the brand

43. Recreating the brand

“I realized that my big-picture knowledge of agricultural trends and business finance uniquely positioned me to cover restaurants with a different perspective.” It’s like a job interview: You’re turning what could be perceived as a weakness (“He doesn’t know anything about food, because he’s been a business reporter for 20 years”) into a compelling strength that people will remember (“He’s got a different take on the food industry, because he has knowledge most other people don’t”).

Successful rebranding doesn’t involve inventing a new persona—it’s a shift in emphasis that should prompt others to say, “I can see you doing that.”

Are there projects you can get involved with that will showcase your new interests and abilities (or help you develop them)?

People use career changes to reinvent themselves all the time, but it’s important to manage one’s brand in such transitions. Doing so can spell the difference between a bungled change and a successful one. There are five key steps in any personal rebranding: 1. Define your destination and acquire the necessary skills. 2. Craft a unique selling proposition and distinguish yourself by leveraging your points of difference. 3. Develop a narrative that describes your transition in terms of the value it offers others. 4. Reintroduce yourself, using digital media and seizing opportunities to showcase your capabilities. 5. Prove your worth by establishing and promoting your track record. Traces of your old brand may linger, but a carefully considered strategy and the ability to create unique value in your changed role will help your new brand take hold.