Leading the Way - June 2009
Marketing Yourself to Your Employer
by Patricia E. Infanti, PP, PLS, 2009-10 NALS President-Elect
To live is to sell. Sounds cold, but it’s true. Personal salesmanship begins in childhood. We hone our salesmanship skills throughout our lives, but need to put these particular skills to work in other areas.
Career salesmen know that you sell yourself first, then the product. People buy feelings. They value -- and pay more for -- the way you make them feel. So, if you “sell” yourself properly, then what is being bought is the way you make your boss or supervisor feel, i.e., you are a competent and trustworthy team player, a valuable member of the firm.
Why am I talking about “selling”? Because “selling” is synonymous with the term “marketing.” Much like any other product, several essential items go into marketing yourself to stand apart from the competition. You must determine the needs of the targeted market (the firm), analyze the product (you), and develop the strategy that demonstrates your attributes.
Marketing Yourself at Annual Review Time
If HR doesn’t “notice” you, then they won’t notice if you’re gone. Don’t
fly under the radar. A lot of us actually PRIDE ourselves for not standing
out. However, the more visible you are, the faster you will become
the go-to person in your department and in your firm. Your professional
reputation is your ONLY currency. Identify and communicate clearly
your personal assets showing your unique value. Your credibility and
visibility will drive a demand for your services. Then, when an inevitable
need to reduce headcount arises, those who show little value or do not contribute
will be among the first let go. It is not enough to simply show up
on time for work everyday. You must make yourself unique, valuable,
and memorable. Use the following tools to ascertain the traits that
best markets you at your annual review.
Self-evaluation – Why is self-evaluation important? Because HR doesn’t sit at your desk and observe you. Self-evaluation forces you to articulate the reasons for doing what you are doing AND helps you create a more satisfying career path. This puts you in the best position to describe and evaluate your work effectively. Begin by reading the written job description for your current position (or any position to which you might aspire) as well as the firm’s official evaluation form, then turn the requirements into the basis for your self-evaluation. Now HR will “see” what you do at your desk everyday.
Assess your strengths and weaknesses - Reading the job description for your current position helps to assess your strengths and weaknesses by seeing if you are performing at, above, or below expectations. Describe how your special skills make a difference to the firm and how they make a difference for others in the firm. Sell your strong points. Is it that you are punctual? Extremely organized? Great with clients? Able to work with the most difficult attorneys? Whatever it is – sell it.
Responsibilities - Assess the responsibilities you should have but don’t; then assess what is preventing you from taking on these additional responsibilities. Is it lack of skills, opportunities, or time that stops you from accepting extra tasks? Don’t wait for job assignments – create them. Seek activities that bring you closer to your goals. Create an innovative file management system or offer to handle the firm’s docket calendar or help the firm go “green.”
Official evaluation form – Review the firm’s official evaluation form for your position – on what criteria will you be evaluated? Scrutinize the past year and recall concrete examples of good and poor performance. Use the ranking in each area to determine what resources, training, or re-training you need to get where you want to be.
Attend seminars and educational events - Continue your education with or without your firm’s assistance. At annual review time, bring the certificates of attendance showing you are on top of current trends.
Credentials – Credentials exhibit your dedication to your career. Passing one of the NALS certification examinations shows your attainment of excellence and allows you to put credentials after your name in written communication. When marketing yourself at annual review time, be prepared with a brief description regarding the ALS, PLS, or PP credentials you attained. Keep in mind, however, that credentials show what you have done in the past. At annual review time, be prepared to answer the question “What have you done for me lately?”
“All About Me” folder – Sounds narcissistic doesn’t it? However, as mentioned before, HR doesn’t sit at your desk; doesn’t see what you do; and, in some cases, isn’t aware of your capabilities. Annual review time is the time to toot your own horn – show the value of what you bring to the firm. The easiest way to be prepared is to have an “all about me” folder which may contain, among other things, information regarding skills or self-improvement courses attended, documentation regarding your volunteer work, copies of articles written for your chapter or state publications, training sessions taught, mentoring a young legal professional, as well as officer and chair positions held in your local chapter or state association. This folder should contain everything noteworthy you’ve done in the past year so that it is at your fingertips when you need it.
Your personal assets are yours and you must take responsibility for these assets and use them to your advantage. None of us should rely upon the belief that our future depends on someone else (“As long as my attorney stays at this firm, I’ll be safe.”). We cannot control the forces around us, and if a change is needed in the firm, we are all vulnerable.
Do not wait for the next opportunity, task, or responsibility to find you – you may become complacent. Once complacency sets in, you become bored and unchallenged which is VERY detrimental to your career. If you crave more interesting and challenging work, you must actively and eagerly seek more responsibility and increase your value.
Remember, marketing yourself equals personal salesmanship and career management. It is an ongoing activity, something that you simply “do” throughout your employment lifetime.
References:
Arruda, William and Kirsten Dixson, Career Distinction – Stand Out by
Building Your Brand, John Wiley & Sons, Inc., Hoboken, New Jersey
2007