What do you want to be famous for?

At some point in your career you will realise that turning up and doing a good job often isn't enough. This is especially the case in bigger organisations.

It's important to invest time in your "profile" within a business by being visible in positive ways.

Why? Because when it comes to things like promotions, training opportunities, overseas opportunities, restructures, bonuses or performance ratings the people making the decisions are often the senior managers. And these decisions can have a huge impact on you.

And it's not just about senior managers, it's about the impressions you leave with everyone you work with. From the helpdesk guy to the client and everyone in between.

It's really important to be aware that these short interactions will probably do more to make or break your career success than the work you do at your desk, or the hours you put in on the weekend.

So what do you want to be famous for?

Many of us are so busy "doing our job" that we really don't spend time developing and building a clearly defined personal brand/ Professional Profile. But we should, because no job is forever and reputations take time to build.

Here's some questions to help you...

• What do you want to achieve?
• How do you want people to think about you?
• What are your strengths? What are the attributes that make you successful in your chosen career?
• How does your unique experience influence your work day to day?
• What projects or achievements are you most proud of and why?
• What areas are you working on developing?

Once you start to clarify the attributes you want to be known for you can focus on living it and breathing it every day. Especially when you are busy, under pressure or just very very tired. People form impressions of you every time they interact. And people talk. A bad interaction can do more damage to your reputation than 20 good ones.

A strong internal profile is an important thing to have, but so is your external one. That's why your networks and relationships are important to maintain. It's also really important to have a strong LinkedIn profile that reflects your "personal brand"

If you need a hand or are planning to hit the job market we can help guide you through our process - which we call "Finding your unique Spark." Knowing what makes you uniquely successful in your chosen career and interesting to potential employers is essential information for an effective Resume or LinkedIn Profile.

For more information visit our website www.yourspark.com.au