Personal branding through generational changes
There has been a continued amount of coverage given to personal branding on the internet. Just last week I had an interesting exercise to complete that really got me thinking. The issue came during a planned career change. All of a sudden I had an entire new problem to solve. It was a little like moving house and having to inform everyone that my address details were going to change and also had to ensure the appropriate utilities were canceled and re-ordered for the right location. In this instance I had an entire digital footprint to update!
As I have kept a detailed log of the sites where I have a controllable presence the task was not to bad but still time consuming. My career has developed in a consistent manner and direction so the themes did not need to change just personal details. Imagine if you had to reinvent a new career, removing you previous footprint could cause considerable stress and hair pulling.
Developing your brand and footprint is a samll part of the battle, updating or changing it is a considerably more strenuous activity. Take the following example of a typical life plan and think of all the changes to your footprint it might bring throughout your life.
Teens: You are embarrassed by your parents and distance yourself as you seek your own personality, beliefs and direction.You adopt every new technology and cannot believe your parents are just not with it!
20’s: You are into all sorts, it is documented online and you will spend the next decade denying it all.
30’s: Now you have money, you can really party - but on consecutive days! Your metabolism has changed and you need to quell the rebel inside. Now your online presence is examined by colleagues, customers and potential new employers.
40’s: Your own kids now walk in front of you and cannot believe you just do not get it!
50’s: Kids have left home you have the ability to anything you want, and you decide you would rather do nothing.
60’s: You actually feel good most of the time, but not all the time!
70’s: Starting to take advantage - use the 10 items or less line even when you have more. Who is going to yell at you!
OK enough, you get the idea. The footprint we build today is going to have to change as we change. Technologies will continue to develop some of which we will embrace, others we will decide are against the very order of things. Either way what we create today will need to be managed in the future.
Sounds like an opportunity, anyone now of a personal brand revamp specialist?
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