www.decadirect.org NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2018 DISCUSSION GUIDE
BUILDING YOUR BRAND pg. 7 HOW TO GUIDE FIND YOUR PLACE FIND YOUR VOICE BE REAL BE CONSISTENT HAVE FUN! PERSONAL BRAND WORKBOOK DISCOVER YOUR STRENGTHS, VALUES AND PASSIONS If you want your personal brand online to reflect your best self, you first need to figure out who you are. List your strengths DIG DEEPER Need a little help? Answer the following questions then go back to fill in more strengths. What is the most important role I ever fulfilled and why? When faced with an overwhelming obstacle, what s my go-to skill to overcome it? What do I enjoy most? Which strengths and skills are going to be most helpful as I begin my career search? What skills are missing? What skills would I like to build but have not yet had the opportunity to practice?
TAP INTO YOUR VALUES Go through the list of values below. Eliminate words that don t resonate with you and put a check mark next to the values that are important to you. Review the short list of values you checked, pick your top five, and write them on this page. If you have a value that s not on the list, feel free to add it in the space provided. Accessibility Courage Empathy Honesty Originality Speed Accomplishment Creativity Enthusiasm Humor Passion Spirituality Accountability Curiosity Excellence Imagination Peace Spontaneity Accuracy Dependability Experience Impact Perfection Stability Adventure Determination Expertise Independence Power Strength Affection Clarity Fairness Integrity Prosperity Success Affluence Comfort Faith Intelligence Punctuality Sympathy Altruism Commitment Fame Justice Recognition Teamwork Ambition Compassion Family Kindness Relaxation Understanding Assertiveness Completion Fidelity Knowledge Reliability Vision Balance Contentment Flexibility Leadership Resourcefulness Wealth Bravery Control Fun Learning Respect Winning Calmness Directness Generosity Love Security Celebrity Discipline Grace Loyalty Sensitivity Challenge Diversity Growth Mindfulness Significance Charity Efficiency Health Optimism Sincerity MY VALUES 1. 2. 3. 4. 5.
PURSUE YOUR PASSIONS Your passions fuel your actions. When you integrate your passions into what you do, you re more engaged and can create a power- house of enthusiasm, engagement and inspiration for those around you. List your passions DIG DEEPER Need a little help? Answer the following questions then go back to fill in more passions. What would I do with my summer if money weren t an issue? What are my favorite activities? What type of people am I drawn to? What kind of stories in the news always capture my interest? CHALLENGE ACTIVITY: FIND CONNECTIONS Are there any common threads among your passions? Why do you love what you love? What s the passion beneath the passion? Example: Passions are skydiving and baking. Your love of skydiving is rooted in your love of risk taking. You thrive on diving into the unknown and love that you ve brought friends to experience it. With baking, you love taking raw ingredients and combining/transforming them into something great. You also enjoy sharing the fruits (or pastries) of your labors with others. THE NEXT STEP How can your passion form the foundation of your career goals?
YOUR GOALS List your goals for the future. Short Term Long Term Choose one goal for now. What kind of person achieves that goal? Think: If it s a college you hope to attend, how would you define the average (or ideal) student? If it s a career, describe a person who has achieved success in that career. If it s a company, what are their recruiters looking for? Note: To really answer this question, you will need to do some research. Go to the organization s website and find their core values and/or their mission. Find a person with your dream job and look into their online presence as well as their background.
PUTTING IT ALL TOGETHER Take a look at your strengths, values and passions. List them here. Take a look at your goals and the way you described success in that area. List these details here. Reflect, audit and action plan. Do your lists make sense together? Do your passions align with your goals? Google yourself. Do the search results show the person your dream school / organization is looking for? Next steps Make a plan for yourself. How will you make sure your personal brand (online and otherwise) aligns to your goals? What will you do to make sure everyone else sees your true strengths and values?
5 TIPS FOR HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS ON LINKEDIN pg. 9 1. Start Early Make a plan. Do you have a profile? When would you like to create one? 2. Have an all-star profile Start with the basics. Name: Current Role/Organization: Other activities and leadership roles to include: 3. Picture Quality Audit your profile picture: Clear photo of me looking at the camera Professional appearance High-quality photo Using your personal brand work as a guide, write 3-5 sentences about who you are and what you hope to do. 4. The Summary Look at your goals from the personal brand activity. Are there schools / groups / organizations you should follow? List them here. 5. Your Connections
What is a brand? GROWING A GLOBAL BRAND: AN INSIDE LOOK AT UNIVERSAL pg. 15 What is the formula for building your brand? Why is establishing your own personal brand important? Think about a brand you are loyal to. How would you describe that brand? Why do you continue to buy their products or use their service? Interview two classmates to find out their most beloved brands. Why are they loyal to the brand? When did they first discover the brand? What do they feel the company values? Thinking about the marketers formula to building a brand, does it seem like the brands you and your classmates named follow this practice? Why or why not?