Mad Men fans from all across North America are all craving to know what Don Draper and his advertising executives are up to in tonight’s Season Five debut after a 17-month hiatus. One reason why the TV drama is so popular among baby boomers is that not only is the show nostalgic and vintage, but it also reflects how branding and marketing have evolved from the 60’s to the digital world of the 21st century.
But one thing never changes throughout all these years – personal branding is becoming as important now in the corporate world as in the offices of Sterling Cooper and, subsequently, Sterling Cooper Draper Pryce. For baby boomers in the workforce, it is even more important now to be able to stand out in a sea of job applicants and grab an HR Manager’s attention or to keep a job.
Whether boomers like it or not, it’s a ‘me, me, me’ era now and the ability to demonstrate your unique value to employers often influences how well you are doing. According to The Globe and Mail, the term personal branding goes far beyond a presence just in social media. The term refers to finding your “ultimate value proposition” and demonstrating it in every facet of your work life. The marketing jargon might be recent, but the concept is not new at all.
Make Yourself Stand Out
Let’s take the central characters in Mad Men as an example. Don Draper (creativity), Roger Sterling (contacts and client relationships), Peggy Olson (copywriting), Pete Campbell (family connections and a cut-throat competitiveness) and Joan Harris (organization skills and queen bee) all bring their own unique values that appear to be indispensable at Sterling Cooper Draper Pryce.
For boomers who are competing with younger colleagues or other job candidates, the ability to articulate their strengths and unique differentiation is key. Whether it’s experience or in-depth knowledge of an industry sector, mature job-seekers need to market themselves wisely in the career marketplace.
Stay Ahead Of Everybody
I often try to debunk the myth that boomers are intimidated by technology. Statistics have indicated over and over again that this is a misconception. But it’s not enough for mature workers just to be current in technology and social media, you need to be constantly ahead by being extremely well informed, not just within your industries or regional markets, but nationally and globally as well. Even though boomers may be more mature in years, you should do your best to demonstrate you are not ‘old school’ or irrelevant. So having a profile on LinkedIn nowadays is not enough, try build up your own personal brand through an ongoing visibility campaign that could involve speaking engagements and community involvement.
Build Your Brand – Verbal and Non-Veral, Online and Offline
Many boomers complain of ageism in the workplace, but have you made efforts to update your physical appearance, your wardrobe and your attitude? Do you appear perky, pleasant and cheerful instead of looking tired, skeptical and grumpy? Pay attention to your physical fitness, posture, body language and presentation skills. Sum up your main attributes in three key messages. Try Google yourself, see what comes up and work on how you can improve your visibility and your brand image. Use both traditional and digital platforms to market your personal brand.
Believe me, Don Draper, Peggy Olson, Roger Sterling and Lane Pryce all worked on their personal branding in their firm and in their industry, so should you!
” Do you appear perky, pleasant and cheerful instead of looking tired, skeptical and grumpy? Pay attention to your physical fitness, posture, body language and presentation skills. Sum up your main attributes in three key messages.”
Your comments about technology are dead on, but these points are, I think, controversial and equally important. I work with people half my age (those are my bosses, my co-workers are a third my age) and these points are critical. The minute they think they are working with their parents you are toast.
the skeptical and grumpy are particularly important. It is so easy to slip into that.