How To Promote Your Personal Brand Within Your Existing Company

• 2-minute read •
A lot of advice on managing your personal brand is geared towards promoting yourself to the external market: update your resume; stay active on social media; join a professional association. But what if you want to stay where you are and raise your profile within the company – e.g., get promoted, move laterally or simply stay top of mind in your department? Here are five strategies for promoting your personal brand internally:

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If You Read One Of These Five Phrases In A Company Review, Don't Apply There

• 2-minute read •
The need to research a company before you apply for a job there should go without saying in 2016. Whether you rely on Glassdoor or another site, potentially parsing hundreds of reviews for real insight can be overwhelming. While you should take everything you read in an anonymous review of a company with a grain of salt and question the review writer’s motives, there are certain phrases to look out for. If any variations on the following terms pop up when you’re researching a prospective employer, think twice about applying.

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How to answer the job interview question: ‘What is your ideal company?’

Hint: Give an answer that aligns your ideal workplace with the employer you’re talking to.
When a job interviewer asks, “What is your ideal company?” you may think to yourself, “Hmm, one that pays six figures, offers unlimited vacation and has a four-day workweek.”

But while that may be your fantasy, you need to remember that the hiring manager is looking for an answer that’s more grounded in reality.

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Assess Company Culture to Find the Best Fit

Landing a great job involves more than interviewing well, getting an offer and earning a paycheck. While it's the interviewer's responsibility to assess your skills and experience, it's up to you to determine whether a particular employer is aligned with your core values and beliefs.

Working at a company with values inconsistent with yours is stressful, unrewarding, even depressing at times. No matter how great the position and salary, if you're working in a caustic, understaffed and unethical culture, you'll feel unfulfilled.

The job interview is your best opportunity to assess the work environment and organizational norms. But how can you assess the culture while you're being interviewed?

Organizational culture is dictated by the values, behaviors, beliefs and norms that permeate the group. Culture is expressed through the words and behaviors of each employee. Company or department leadership sets the overall tone.

Recruiters and managers often say that a candidate “fits” or “doesn't fit” to explain why a candidate should be offered a job offer or not offered one. What interviewers are really saying is the candidate fits or doesn't fit into the company culture. Many companies, in an effort to perpetuate their corporate cultures, hire people they feel fit and reject candidates whom they think do not fit their culture.

You should be sure the culture works from your standpoint as well. Rarely will you find a work environment totally aligned with your values, but you should be able to find organizations where the culture and your values can coexist.

Be a Keen Observer

Here are some of the things to be cognizant of during your interview experience:

• How are you treated while interviewing?
• What phrases do the interviewers use frequently?
• Is there a theme or unspoken tone to the questions asked?
• How does the environment feel to you?
• How prepared are the interviewers? Are they on time?
• Were you given an interview schedule?
• Were you treated like a prisoner or a guest?
• Are your responses to questions treated with suspicion or professional curiosity?
• How considerate is the company recruiter?

Ask for Details

Of course, digging up facts about company culture doesn't have to be an altogether clandestine effort. You can simply ask questions about organizational culture. Here are a few to consider:

• What three words or phrases would you use to describe the company or department culture?
• How does the company (team) handle conflict or differing opinions?
• How does the company recognize employee accomplishments?
• Does the company have a code of ethics?
• Please describe the leadership or managerial style at your company.
• What qualities do the most successful employees in your company possess?
• What is the company's attitude toward professional and educational advancement?

Job interviews are business events where your talents are evaluated -- and they are also your opportunity to evaluate how the company's culture complements your values. Be sure to make the observations and ask the necessary questions to make a good assessment of whether the culture is the right fit for you.

Choosing the right company

There's a vast range of potential employers out there, from small start-ups to the biggest multinationals. Which type best suits you is for you to decide, based on your personality, your likes and dislikes and, of course, your experience. If you're unsure, take the time to do as much research as you can.

Get on your favourite search engine and check out terms like 'FTSE 100' for the big boys, 'best employers' for lists of companies with the top working conditions, or specialist terms that apply to you like 'single mother' or 'multi-lingual employees'. Use your imagination and don't forget to ask around friends and relatives for ideas on companies they either work for or with to see if they can think of any that might suit you.

There are three main types of businesses that you can work for in the private sector, each with it's own pros and cons:

• Small companies
Due to their smaller revenues and profits, pay and benefits are often lower in smaller companies. You may also be working in a less secure environment as the business doesn't have the stability to think in the long term. Many small business owners tend to micro-manage their operations, finding it hard to let go and delegate responsibility.

On the other hand, you'll almost certainly have more involvement in a wider range of tasks than in a bigger company, along with the chance of quick promotion if you prove yourself. Working for a small company is also an excellent way of acquiring new, transferable skills.

• Medium sized companies
You can expect to receive better benefits than in a small company, such as health care or a contributory pension. With a relatively small number of employees, there is often more flexibility in their pay structure so they can individually tailor financial packages. Medium sized businesses will be acutely aware of their bottom line, making hiring and firing decisions on the basis of clear financial goals.

They can be very demanding employees, with a high expectation that you will do whatever it takes, including long hours and changing levels of responsibility. There will be opportunities to put variety into your work, but not as much as in a small company. Often, due to the shallow organisational structure, the potential for advancement is very limited.

• Large companies
The biggest plus with a large company is usually security and benefits, together with ample opportunity to move your career in the direction you want. Due to the large number of employees they have to look after, pay structures are often quite strict although due to their large financial backing, the starting wages are usually very generous.

They can be more impersonal and bureaucratic and lack the sense of a common goal or being part of a team that smaller companies offer. Large companies tend to hire people with specific skills to fit into specific roles, so don't expect a lot of variety in your role.

If you are at all unsure about what you're getting into, it's a good idea to arrange a trial period before committing yourself. An internship or temporary position offers the perfect opportunity to get a feel for people and the company. Part-time work is also an option, as it gives you the chance to try out two companies at once.

Alongside these groups, charities and public sector organisations also operate, again with their own pros and cons. One thing you will find when working for this type of business is that every penny spent must be justified, as they are ultimately accountable to people making charitable donations or the taxpayer.

Staying out of trouble
There are good places to work and there are awful places to work. Big companies with sexy offices can act as a smokescreen for a ferociously competitive business that you might find intimidating. Ask around, do your research and use your common sense.

Never be afraid to follow your instincts if a company doesn't feel right. You'll have to live with your decision if you get it wrong, so learn to read the warning signs. What happened to your predecessor? Promotion or P45? Watch how your interviewers behave during your meeting - if there's tension in the air, it might be the sign of things to come.

Right company, wrong location
If you're willing to cast your net wide in the search for the right employer, you may come across the perfect match, but at the other end of the country. Relocating for work is a big decision for anyone, but if you value your career and want to make the most of every opportunity, then it may be a necessary step. The Internet has made it easy to stay in contact with your friends, and you're likely to make many more in your new surroundings.