Branding your Postdoc before your Postdoc brands you

CHRIS J. HASS, Ph.D.

NAKHE Leadership Development WorkshopBruce Lund

Damon AndrewJody Langdon

Gwendolyn M. Weatherford

Cerebellum

Basal Ganglia

Frontal LobeExecutive Function

The 10-15 year process of obtaining a Permanent position

Graduate work (4-7 years)

Post-doctoral work (2-7 years)

Faculty / Research Position!a 2nd post-doc?

Tenured / Director

My Path to Tenure

(provided you meet all the requirements)

Research plan

Funding record

Departmental‘fit’

Research Accomplishments

Research pedigree

‘Connections’

Publication record

Fundability

Writing skills

Teaching strengths

Seminar quality

Social ‘fit’

Chalk talk quality

Speaking skills

Hard Facts

Harder Facts

Hardest Facts

New Approach to Old Problems

Personal Branding• Brands and taglines we know

• Part I: What is PB & why it’s important in Higher Ed Now & the Future

• Part II: What is YOUR Personal Brand• Self-reflection

• Part III: Unique Ability Exercise

Marketing

Think different

The breakfast of champions

Great taste… less filling

Where’s the

beef?

It’s the real

thing

Just do it

For the Gator Good

Personal Branding Definition

The ongoing process of establishing a prescribed image or impression in the mind of others about an individual, group or organization.

American Marketing Association: “name, term, design, symbol, or any other feature that identifies one seller’s good or service as distinct from those of another.”

Brief History of PB

Tom Peters in Fast Company – 1997 A Brand Called You

“Everyone has a personal brand whether they realize it or not”

Most competitive, saturated markets to date for young professionals (50% unemployed/underemployed)

More resources than ever to both stand out through and to manage (social media) If something bad (Brand Destroyers) happens people WILL

find out & FAST.

Branding serves at least four important functions:

Creating instant recognition of an organization’s name (you or your lab) within target audiences (hiring partners, sponsors, donors)

Differentiating an organization from its competitors

Promoting an understanding of what an organization does and the value of that work

Establishing an emotional connection with current and prospective stakeholders that motivates them to place their trust in an organization and support it.

Part I: Personal Branding in Higher Ed

Brands within Brands Public Figures

Presidents, Deans, Department Chairs, Program Coordinators, Faculty Members

Online/Offline Brand Management Grow Awareness for the University

“Free Agent Nation” Job Jumping (Organization Man Becoming Extinct)

Lifespan of Deans & Department Chairs Trends moving forward (younger faculty members)

Brand Promoting or Destroying Reputation

On-campus In the community Professional networks or settings

More Resources than Ever Professional Online Tools (Platforms)

LinkedIn, Chronicle Vita, Research Gate Social Media

Pictures Negative Posts/Comments

Vision/Mission Statements

Statements that explain who we are Type of organization Products/services Needs we fill

Statements that explain our direction, our purpose, our reason for being What difference do we make?

Statements that explain what makes us unique Values People Combination of products and services

Vision vs Mission

The vision is more broad and future oriented – the goal on the horizon

The mission is more focused – how you will get to the horizon

Examples of Vision Statements

Ben & Jerry’s

Product: To make, distribute, and sell the finest quality all natural ice cream and related products in a wide variety of innovative flavors made from Vermont dairy products.

Economic: To operate the Company on a sound financial basis of profitable growth, increasing value for our shareholders and creating career opportunities and financial rewards for our employees.

Social: To operate the Company in a way that actively recognizes the central role that business plays in the structure of society by initiating innovative ways to improve the quality of life of a broad community: local, national, and international.

Examples of Mission Statements

Wyffels Hybrids

Wyffels Hybrids is a regional agricultural seed company providing elite corn hybrids, high oil corn seed blends, and premium alfalfas to farmers of the U.S. midwest.

What Message Do You Want Others to Recognize You For?

Message = BrandRecognize = Reputation

Exercise #1

Part II: What is your brand?

Strategic planning session provides confidence in: Who WE are, what WE do, and why WE matter

as Post docs and scientists

Personal Branding session provides confidence in: Who YOU are, what YOU do, and why YOU

matter

Brand Equity

When other people hear your name what is the first thing they think about? Should be:

Consistent Unique Valuable

Google Yourself: Want to be top of page/mind Employers are searching online (90%) Better that YOU manage the message you want

conveyed and not others

Introducing Unique Ability Concept

Four Main Characteristics of UA (Dan Sullivan):1. Superior skill – Other people acknowledge that you

are really good at this2. Passion – You enjoy doing it3. Gives you energy – when you do your UA you have

tremendous energy4. Never-ending improvement: because you have the

passion and the energy to get better

Exercise #2:Self-Reflection

I am talented at? Other people often compliment me

I enjoy doing? Energy compounding

Unique Ability = Both List the things that intersect

Part III: Unique Ability Exercise Exercise #3

Write A Unique Ability Letter Email/Social Media/Handwritten

Friends Mentors Mentees Family Members Colleagues Coworkers

Unique Ability Letter

UA Response Example:

Exercise #41. Partner with someone you know:

Give them a couple minutes to think about your STRENGTHS

Share with each other Repeat with 3-5 people

2. For those who are new or do not know anyone talk about your own unique abilities as a group

Why is it important to know your unique abilities in higher education (particularly early in your career?)

Further Advice for PostDocs

Perform a market analysis Pick 3-5 people in your industry and study them

(vitas) Reach out to them or speak to them at conferences

Manage your own materials Keep cover letter and vita updated Natural motivator

Have and speak with your mentors regularly Voice of reason

What’s the Point? Grows confidence b/c others validate your UA

Stay focused on strengths:

Strength finder / strength quest

Gain clarity & direction

Play more in your “fun” zone Talent/Passion Delegate out Surround yourself with others who compliment

weaknesses (Unique Ability Team)

Exercise 5: Group Discussion

Since all in this room are considered future scientific leaders what are common threads of abilities and personalities

Why is Marketing Important?

Marketing:• Impacts Sales• Increases Awareness• Clarifies Metrics of Value• Impacts Consumer Trust• Builds a Social Asset• Clarifies your Market and Customer Profile• Builds your Organization’s Brand

Internal versus External Marketing

You have two main audiences:• Internal audiences include the faculty, staff, current

students, and administrators of other academic programs in the department, school, college, or university, • these audiences have varying impacts on the potential

for your academic success

Internal versus External Marketing

You have two main audiences:• External audiences include alumni, prospective

students, peers in the field, granting agencies, donors, legislators/politicians, and other stakeholders in the general public, and

• these audiences also have varying impacts on the potential for your academic success

A key principle of marketing is to tailor your message to your target audience

Internal Marketing

What does your university value?

What do administrators at your university who have direct impact on your operating budget value?

Does your immediate supervisor hold you accountable for things valued by the university and its decision-makers?

External Marketing

Scientist must determine how best to communicate with the following audiences:• Alumni• Prospective students• Donors• Granting agents• Legislators/politicians• Businesses (particularly those who commonly employ

graduates)• Accreditors• Non-profit organizations• Other stakeholders in the general public

UF Science Communications Academy

The Importance of Branding

Products have life cycles, but brands outlive products• No branding = no differentiation• No differentiation = no long-term profitability / success• People don’t have relationships with products, they

are loyal to brands• Brands can activate passion in ways that products

cannot• How is your college or university branded?

Whether we realize it or not, your field has a brand• What is Engineering’s brand, and how is it perceived?

Does it vary by sub-discipline?

Taking your brand to market

Focus on the Big 4

Social Media Used in Higher Education

Pros and Cons

In the Classroom School Pride Potential Students Professional Development General Outreach

How Professors Use It

How Well is Social Media Being Used?

Certain sites can be monitored

In the classroom, discussion is more easily conducted

Invitation to produce content for prospective or current students

Lack of authenticity

Lack of features that allow for interaction

Daily maintenance required

What Does the Research Say?

71% of online adults use Facebook 40% visit multiple times a day

What Does the Research Say?

42% use more than one social media site

Why Use Social Media Marketing?

Constantinides and Zinck-Stagno (2011) suggest: From a business model:

Improved communications “Customer engagement” Increasing “brand loyalty”

In higher education: 3 different types of users

Beginners, Social, and Informational Among this sample, many did not attribute choice of

college to social media interaction Why?

Question & Answer

Email:cjhass@hhp.ufl.edu

Twitter: @CJ_Hass

To-Do’s:

- Update social media profiles

- Send Out Unique Ability Letter