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1st QUARTER 2013 WWW.CFOSTUDIO.COM 29 CAREER CORNER Cindy Kraft, the CFO-Coach N ow that the New Year celebration has passed and the new year has begun, let’s look at three things you can — and should — do this month and in the rest of the year in order to elevate yourself above your chief competitors. 1 Identify your brand It really doesn’t matter what you believe to be true about yourself if those around you believe something completely different. Knowledge is power and what you don’t know, you can’t change. My clients routinely tell me that the 360-Reach assessment is one of the most insightful and powerful career tools they’ve used. Because it pinpoints the intersection of what you believe to be true about yourself with the perception of what others believe, it allows you to quickly see where you might be off-brand or how on-brand you actually are; identify weaknesses that might be obstacles to your career; and distinguish your greatest strengths from both an internal and external perspective. Today, this month, in this new year, establish your brand positioning. 2 Craft and hone your value messaging Unless you know your value and are prepared with value messaging when a recruiter calls, you just might miss a great opportunity. Today, before you need a job, commit to identifying your unique market- able value proposition — and write out how to articulate it. It is virtually impossible today to compete on the school you attended, the credentials you hold, or the responsibilities you held. What a company wants to know, in a very clear and compelling—and succinct —manner, is how you can solve its very real problems. It is impossible to create that value mes- saging on the fly. When a recruiter calls, and you are unprepared because the call is unex- pected, and the opportunity is your dream position, unless you’ve worked through the value process and are intimately familiar with your contributions as they align with the prospective company’s needs, you might find yourself stammering, stuttering, and resorting to listing responsibilities, because those are the things with which you are most familiar. Commit today, before you need a position, to identify your marketable value and then create your razor-sharp messaging. 3 Raise your visibility You’ve heard the old cliche, if a tree falls in the forest and no one is there to hear it, does it make a sound? Your great message must reach its target, and resonate when it does. In this competitive economy, the “pull” strategy is much more effective than the “push” strategy. The former involves being visible to your target audience in a way that pulls them to you, versus desperately pushing your resume at your audience. Today, create a plan of visibility that you can consistently execute over the ensuing year, well in advance of planning to make a move. Consistency is key. 4 Identify your target audience If it falls on deaf ears, the best value mes- saging in the world is useless. It is critically important to realize who your strengths, abilities, and expertise best serve. Not every- one needs what you do and how you deliver, so you want your message to resonate with the companies who do need it. Once you’ve pinpointed your value, identify those people and companies who want and need what you can deliver. 5 Network, network, network This isn’t rocket science, but it sure can be a difficult and challenging strategy for many CFOs to execute. The reality is that building a strong network is essential before you ever need to ask your network for help and/or referrals. One of the best-kept secrets for CFOs is with whom you should be networking. Since you’ve read this far, I’ll tell you: the lawyers, accountants, and bankers that all service your targeted companies. Right now, before you do another thing, pick up the phone and schedule a time to meet with someone who knows movers and shakers at the companies you want to know. My warmest wishes for a prosperous and successful 2013. C It’s a New Year, Execute a New Plan Cindy Kraft is the CFO-Coach and America’s leading career and personal brand strategist for corporate finance executives, helping clients understand their market- ability, articulate their value, and position themselves as the clear and compelling choice. She is a Certified Reach Per- sonal Brand Strategist, Certified Reach Online Identity Strat- egist, Certified Career Management Coach, Credentialed Career Master, Certified Professional Resume Writer, and Job & Career Transition Coach. Cindy can be reached via email, Cindy@CFO-Coach.com, by phone, 813-655-0658, or through her website at www.CFO-Coach.com . Learn more about the author www.CFOstudio.com/CindyKraft COMMIT TODAY, BEFORE YOU NEED A POSITION, TO IDENTIFY YOUR MARKETABLE VALUE.