Perception is everything.

Especially in the corporate world.

But what if who you are doesn’t align with the perception that society has of you?

Well.

Then we have a problem.

But it is a problem that can be solved.

To illustrate the solution, I’m going to talk about a client of mine.

She’s a marketer with 15+ years of experience with a passion for learning & development, but nothing in her old LinkedIn profile would’ve suggested an interest in the latter.

Now we start with this basis: No one can read your mind.

So if you want something, even if it’s just to be known for having an interest in something, then you have to tell the world about it.

So how does a marketer rebrand herself into someone with an interest in L&D?

Here are some steps I advised her to take:

1️⃣ Build a Udemy course teaching people about a topic within L&D you’re passionate about (i.e.: women leadership)
Courses give you authority and are a place for people to really understand what you’re capable of and know.

2️⃣ Insert the Udemy course on your LinkedIn profile
Put it under your Featured section so that it’s one of the first things that people see!

3️⃣ Start a podcast
If a course seems daunting (hello imposter syndrome!) - start a podcast where you interview experts in the industry

Podcasts are the best way to network.

Everyone loves talking about themselves and having leading figures as your guests gives you credibility.

There is such a thing as authority by association.

4️⃣ Change your LinkedIn Headline
The headline is the words directly under your name (the first thing people see).

Aka your 30-character elevator pitch

So if you want people to start associating you with your interest, then update it to say “Marketer passionate about L&D”.

A personal brand is built by telling people about it.

This way your profile pops up when headhunters are looking for L&D candidates!

5️⃣ Showcase your side hustles
Ever run a blog, attended or better yet, hosted an event relating to L&D?

Tell it to the world!

Put it on LinkedIn, start a microsite to dive deeper into what you’re up to and never ever stop showing what you’re up to.

If you keep talking about what you’re doing, it doesn’t matter what your current job title is.

That’s just one part of you.

And we’re all 360-dimensional people.

We are allowed to have a life and passion outside of our work.

And who knows - that very same passion might be your way out of a dead-end job (but let’s not tell your boss that just yet)!


P/S: Need more personalised help in rebranding and pivoting yourself into a dream career? Contact me PIVOT and I’ll show you the steps that my other clients from Google, UBS and BlackRock went through to do just that.