What is Executive Branding?

Have you established a strong personal brand – one that will help to build credibility, trust, and visibility for you in your search?

One of the biggest gaps our coaches see with the executive-level job seekers they work with is the lack of an executive brand. By executive brand I mean getting across what you know, what you have done, and – here’s the hard part – who you are. You are not the titles you’ve held or a list of “responsible fors” on your resume. If you want to be remembered in any situation, but we can use an interview as an example, then you need to be armed with short stories which replay the essence of what you believe in and how that positively influences what you do as an executive.

Obviously we’re not talking hot-topic, button-pushing political or personal topics here. We’re talking about things like how your love of travel has led you to be hyper focused on culture or logistics. Or for some people their time as a college athlete and how their coaches worked with the players has influenced their desire to be an active mentor. These are examples of who you are that must be woven into an executive’s branding narrative.

ExecuNet’s Director of Coaching Services Harriette Lowenthal said in a session of ExecuNet Master Class, “Employing strategies to manage your executive brand is no longer optional. It is directly connected to the effectiveness and the perception of your organization.” This is an ultra connected and informed world. To be memorable you must share who you are and seek to connect with people, or you’ll be forgotten.

Just as a brand’s reputation influences your decision to buy from a company or not, your executive brand is what makes employers decide to interact with you. Your brand makes you unique and allows you to stand out from your peers and competitors.

Even executives who are not currently looking for a new job should be able to effectively articulate their brand, just as they can their company’s.

William Flamme

William Flamme is ExecuNet's Associate Director of Content Marketing, where he develops engaging job search, career path, and leadership insight to build ExecuNet's brand recognition as the leader in senior-level executive job search and all matters career.

He delivers executive-level content across the various properties under the ExecuNet brand, amplifying the power of ExecuNet's expert voices and shaping the content strategy.

Prior to joining ExecuNet in 2008, Will earned a master's degree in education and taught fifth grade and sixth grade. As a teacher, he deepened his appreciation for the written word and mastered skills necessary for managing writers who sometimes view deadlines as homework. It is his training as an educator which allows Will to take complex ideas and make them simple for busy executives to understand and to execute.