Building Your Personal Brand:



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Lesson Chpt 2.8: Building Your Personal Brand

Article #1

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Building Your Personal Brand: Tactics for Successful Career Branding

 by Randall S. Hansen, Ph.D.

 What is it that all successful companies have mastered -- and what job-seekers looking to advance in their careers need to master? What is it about Coca-Cola, Microsoft, Starbucks, Disney, and McDonald's? What makes a consumer buy one product over another -- and makes one job-seeker much more sought after than others? The answer is marketing, but more specifically it is the power of branding. And branding isn't just for products anymore.

 Branding can be described as many things, but it's best defined as a promise... a promise of the value of the product... a promise that the product is better than all the competing products... a promise that must be delivered to be successful. Branding is the combination of tangible and intangible characteristics that make a brand unique. Branding is developing an image -- with results to match.

 Branding (some call it self-branding or personal branding when talking about individuals) is essential to career advancement because branding helps define who you are, how you are great, and why you should be sought out. Branding is your reputation. Branding is about building a name for yourself, showcasing what sets you apart from others, and describing the added value you bring to a situation.

 Most job-seekers are not proactive in establishing and building their career brand, letting their actions speak for them when seeking promotions or new jobs. But why not take the time to master some very basic tactics that can help build your career brand and make you a much more attractive employee or job-seeker? Remember, if you don't brand yourself, others will for you. And while you may be happy and secure in your job now, you really never know when that will change.

 Management guru Tom Peters, writing in his book The Brand You50 (Reinventing Work): Fifty Ways to Transform Yourself from an "Employee" into a Brand That Shouts Distinction, Commitment, and Passion! states: "Regardless of age, regardless of position, regardless of the business we happen to be in, all of us need to understand the importance of branding. We are the CEOs of our own companies: Me, Inc." He adds, "You're not defined by your job title and you're not confined by your job description."

 This article takes you through five easy tactics for building and strengthening your career brand.

 Gain Experience/Track Accomplishments

Building your brand begins with tracking your past accomplishments and gaining strategically important new experiences. Your accomplishments are the foundation of your career brand.

 But before you seek out new work, take the time to plan and focus on what you want your brand to stand for -- and develop a strategy for gaining experience in areas of your brand in which you are weak.

 So, besides doing your job, ask for new and challenging assignments that will build your brand. Consider freelancing or consulting. Use volunteering to gain experience. If you're a student, seek out multiple internships.

 Complete Education/Training

For many careers, a minimum amount of education is necessary, but to excel in your career you may need to complete additional education, training, or certifications. Getting additional education can greatly enhance your career brand.

 It may be hard in terms of time and finances, but find a way to do it. Some employers even offer an educational reimbursement benefit.

If you are unsure if you need more education -- and you probably do -- seek out a mentor, someone highly respected in your field (who has branded himself or herself well), and ask for advice.

Promote Yourself

You can have an amazing brand, but if no one knows about it, you are not going to have much success with your career development. And no one more than you has more reasons to promote your brand.

 Throw modesty out the window? There is a fine line between bragging and promoting -- and you need to learn it -- but it's always better to err on the side of promoting your brand than not.

 One of the oldest tools of promotion for job-seekers is the resume, and you certainly need to start there by listing all your key accomplishments, skills, and education on your resume. You may even have your positioning statement (qualifications summary) on your resume... but don't stop there.

Begin developing two career portfolios -- a print one and an online one. If you don't have a personal Website, now is the time to buy a domain (such as ) and let the world read all about the benefits of your brand. Your portfolio should include all important brand artifacts: resume(s), mission statement, detailed accomplishments list, samples of work, articles and working papers, speech transcripts, awards and honors, testimonials, and more.

One interesting trend we've seen is of employers "Googling" the names of prospective job-seekers -- typing each name into one or more Internet search engines -- and basing initial candidate screening decisions partly on the number (and quality) of hits for each job-seeker. The lesson? Your brand needs to have a strong online presence.

And finally, don't forget to promote your brand on the job. Workers often assume the boss knows your accomplishments, but often times s/he does not. Certainly at review time, have a list of all you have achieved since your last review, but also consider finding ways to let the boss know your successes throughout the year.

Become an Expert

Nothing builds credibility in a career brand more than establishing yourself as an expert in your field.

 Start by writing articles that showcase your knowledge -- and getting them published (ideally) in noteworthy media outlets. Consider self-publishing.

 Seek out conferences and meetings where you can give speeches and presentations.

 

Play up awards and other recognition that can help label you an expert.

 Get quoted by offering your thoughts, ideas, and opinions to journalists and reporters.

Consider constructing a professional Website where you can publish all your articles and speeches.

Build Relationships

Nothing in marketing is more powerful than a promotion tool called word-of-mouth, which can be defined as what people say about you.

Thus, nothing is more powerful in building your career brand than what your network of contacts -- your friends, colleagues, customers, clients, and former bosses -- say about you and your set of skills, education, and accomplishments.

And keeping your network strong involves nothing more than relationship building. Keep in good contact with your network and be sure they know of your most recent successes.

But the best brand-builders don't stop with their current network; these folks are in constant network-building mode. Search out new professional associations as well as the growing number of online networking communities.

Final Thoughts on Building Your Brand

Once you identify and build your brand, remember to continue strengthening and protecting it. There will always be competing brands (job-seekers) ready to fill any gap you leave behind. You are indeed founder and CEO of Me, Inc., and the more you do to cultivate your career brand, the more successful you'll be with your current employer and in the job-search.

Article #2

Resources:

The First Step To Building Your Personal Brand

Sure, everyone knows what a brand is. Coke, Pepsi, McDonald’s. But that buzzword is getting thrown around a whole lot in career and job search conversations these days, too. And you might be thinking to yourself, “why do I really have to care about this?”

Here’s why: Whether you’re on the job hunt, a student, or gainfully employed, you must think, act, and plan like a business leader. With the surge of social media, you have not only the ability, but you now have the need to manage your own reputation, both online and in real life.

Employers will Google you before they even invite you to an interview. (Your current employer probably has an eye on what you’re doing, too.) And when you interact with people, both online and offline, they’ll build up an image of who you are over time.

And here’s where you come in: You want to be in control of all of those impressions. Why leave your professional reputation to chance, when you can be your own PR guru and manage your image?

Your personal brand is all about who you are and what you want to be known for. And while that’s a pretty broad concept, I’m going to break down the process for building your brand into a few easy steps, which we’ll cover over the next few weeks.

Your first task: Developing your “brand mantra.” Basically, this is the “heart and soul” of your brand, according to branding expert Kevin Keller. It’s the foundation of all of your branding efforts.

It’s not a mission statement (check out Guy Kawasaki’s blog post for the difference)—rather, it’s a quick, simple, and memorable statement describing who you are and what you have to offer. Ivanka Trump is “an American wife, mother, and entrepreneur.” FedEx is “peace of mind.” Disney is “fun family entertainment.” Rick Ross feat. T-Pain is “I’m a BOSS.”

And yes, those are all famous options, but the same basic principles apply for your own brand. Ready for your turn? Here are four simple steps to creating your mantra:

1. Determine Your Emotional Appeal

For starters, think broadly about your personality and how it affects the experience someone will have with you. Are you insanely organized? Do people love working with you for your killer sense of humor?

Make a list of words that best describe these features of your personality. These words are known as emotional modifiers. Hint: They can be as simple as Disney’s “fun.”

Questions to Consider:

• How do I make people feel?

• How do people benefit by working with me?

• What words do others use to describe me?

2. Determine Your Description

Your next step is coming up with a descriptive modifier that brings clarity to the emotional modifier, identifying what or who your brand is for. In Disney’s case, it’s “family.” In Nike’s mantra, “authentic athletic performance,” “authentic” is the emotional appeal, while “athletic” tells you what the brand is for. As an individual, yours might be an industry (“healthcare” or “education”), or it might be a tangible skill (“creative” or “strategic”).

Questions to Consider:

• What field or industry am I in (or do I want to be in)?

• What are the words I would use to describe my work?

• Who is my target audience?

3. Determine Your Function

Lastly, write down what, exactly, you do (or will do). It might be something that directly relates to your career: writing, graphic design, or financial planning, for example. Or, it might be something more broad, like Disney’s “entertainment.” Are you a manager, a creator, an organizer? A connector of people?

Questions to Consider:

• What service do I have to offer people?

• What do I do that makes me stand out from everyone else?

4. Put it All Together

Finally, look at your three lists of words, and see how you can combine them into a short sentence or phrase—no more than five words. Your brand mantra should communicate clearly who you are, it should be simple and memorable, and it should feel inspiring to you. You might be a “dependable, strategic planner” or “a creative professional connector.” Or, your mantra might be something like, “motivating others to do their best.”

Now—what do you do with this statement? Check back soon for tips on how to use your mantra and build your online brand, as well as how to live your brand, every day.

This article was originally posted on The Daily Muse. For more on the best ways to market yourself, check out:

• Video Pick: How Successful People Sell Themselves

• Perfect Pitch: How to Nail Your Elevator Speech

• Stand Out for Success: The Secrets of Self-Promotion

 

Megan Marrs is an entrepreneur, consultant and owner of Marrs Media Group, a branding and strategic marketing company located in Valparaiso, Indiana. She is also a contributing writer for The Daily Muse focusing on branding as well as business school. Megan is heavily involved with volunteering with youth leadership programs and has a passion for all aspects of business. Megan is a graduate of Purdue University (’06) and Valparaiso University M.B.A. (’11).

Article #3



Stand Out for Success: The Secrets of Self-Promotion

by Anne Libby — December 20, 2011 —

Once upon a time, you got almost everything you wanted with hard work and determination. You studied hard, kept your head down, and did a good job, and you were rewarded with good grades, strong test scores, and admission to the right schools.

Yes, we women are great at working hard, keeping our heads down, and doing a good job. We’ve earned more college degrees than men since the mid-90s. Today, nearly 40% of MBA students are women, and we’re close to 50% of the paid workforce.

So we’re being rewarded for those efforts, right?

You’ve read the stats: In Fortune 500 firms, 15% of senior leaders and 3% of CEOs are women. Only about 10% of women-owned firms receive equity capital. And our elected officials are overwhelmingly male.

It’s time to realize that our careers operate under very different rules. Sylvia Ann Hewlett’s research on women and careers shows that men outscore women, hands down, in understanding some critical realities about career advancement. Women, the study found, are likelier to feel that hard work alone is the key to the top—and that means we often underestimate the value of being visible and well-connected in an organization.

Truth is, in most companies, you’re probably not going to get ahead just by doing a good job. To get promoted, you first have to promote yourself. You have to talk about your accomplishments, get out there within your organization and industry, and build a supportive network around you. So try these four self-promotion techniques to make sure your hard work doesn’t go unnoticed.

 Talk About Your Results

Maybe you led a team that completed a big project on time and 10% under budget. Or you breathed life into a failing client relationship and made a sale. When you complete a project successfully, don’t wait for that annual performance review to be recognized for it! Instead, send your manager a brief email outlining the result—as soon as it happens.

No, this doesn’t come easily to everyone. Many women fear that they’ll seem like they’re bragging or self-serving. But keep in mind that self-promotion isn’t actually about you. It’s about the impact of your work—and that’s not something you want to hide.

You can also think about it this way: When you succeed, so does your manager, and so does the company. Sharing your results won’t just make you look good, it will make your boss happy, too.

 Get Noticed in Your Company

Does your company have an internal newsletter, a town hall meeting, or an annual report that reports employee news and successes? Learn how results are made public in your firm, and how accomplishments land on the agenda. Maybe you just need to speak up and share your latest project at a meeting, or submit an article to the newsletter editor.

Of course, use your judgement: Not every achievement wins (or deserves) air time, and when in doubt, seek guidance from your boss, a mentor, or peers with more tenure first. Try asking, “I think the web redesign we’re working on would be a great addition to the CEO’s internal email. Do you think that would be appropriate?” The point is, you don’t have to sit and wait for someone else to publicize your accomplishments for you.

 Be an Industry Expert

You should also seek to be visible outside of your firm. For starters, be aware of how you’re perceived via your social media presence. Be strategic on LinkedIn, Twitter, even Facebook—anywhere you’re connected with professional contacts—and use those platforms to communicate about what you want to be known for (i.e., your strategic marketing ideas, not your Friday night activities).

Beyond the virtual world, you can promote yourself as an expert by writing or speaking about your area of expertise. Industry publications and websites often need contributors—check out the guidelines for the ones in your field, and propose a topic or submit an article.

Or, consider giving a presentation at an industry conference. And don’t wait to be invited—contact the organizers and propose a topic or ask about a panel you’d like to sit on.

 Build a Custom Network

Boys’ club networks are time-tested platforms for men to help each other advance their careers. So, where are the girls’ clubs?

They’re out there, but the real action goes beyond industry and alumni groups—for women, it’s often not about finding a old, established club you can join. Instead, you may have to create your own network—your own web of relationships with like-minded people.

Whether its five people or 50, consider how you can create or foster a group that’s dedicated to sharing resources and helping each other succeed. Consider a now-famous group of female healthcare executives who came together in the 1970s to regularly share information about their industry. Their goal was to help each other become visible leaders in their organizations and fields, and they met and shared ways to promote themselves, as well as to promote one another.

And it worked: Several of these women—Sandra Fenwick,  Judith Kurland,  Linda Shyavitz, and Elaine Ullian—are still in CEO roles today. Developing a network of relationships now will bring you create long-term career value—both for you and your fellow participants.

 Hard work is the foundation of success—but it’s not enough. If you’re going to get the opportunities you want, you need to make those stellar results visible to others. So don’t just keep your head down, get it out there where others can see it. Remember, these are the new rules.

Article #4



Branding Your Resume: Tips for Job-Seekers

 

by Katharine Hansen, Ph.D., and Randall S. Hansen, Ph.D.

 

Today's resume establishes a brand relevant to targeted employers. The branding expressed in your resume should capture your career identity, authenticity, passion, essence, and image.

With objective statements currently unpopular with hiring decision-makers, job-seekers and resume writers are turning to branding techniques, especially branding statements, to sharpen the focus of resumes. This article briefly discusses several methods of communicating your personal brand on your resume and focuses on creating a personal/career branding statement (often used in combination with a "headline") for the top of your resume. We also offer numerous examples.

 

Branding is best defined as a promise of the value of the product... a promise that the product is better than all the competing products... a promise that must be delivered to be successful. Branding is the combination of tangible and intangible characteristics that make a brand unique. Branding is developing an image -- with results to match.

 

In a resume, branding can be executed through at least three components:

1. The distinctive appearance of your resume, which should be carried through with all your career-marketing communications -- cover letter, business cards, thank-you letters, portfolio, and much more -- to package you with a consistent, branded look. Every time an employer sees this look, he or she will instantly associate it with you.

2. A message woven throughout your resume that remains consistent and does not contradict the image you want to project. Every word, every bullet point should support the branded message you intend to convey.

3. A branding statement that defines who you are, your promise of value, and why you should be sought out. A branding statement is a punchy "ad-like" statement that tells immediately what you can bring to an employer. Your branding statement should sum up your value proposition, encapsulate your reputation, showcase what sets you apart from others, and describe the added value you bring to a situation. Think of it as a sales pitch. Consider integrating these elements into the brief synopsis that is your branding statement:

o What makes you different?

o What qualities or characteristics make you distinctive?

o What have you accomplished?

o What is your most noteworthy personal trait?

o What benefits (problems solved) do you offer?

 

Your branding statement will guide your subsequent branding activities and can be used, not only on your resume, but also on your Web site, blog, and other communication venues.

 

In their book Brand Yourself, David Andrusia and Rick Haskins present a simple formula for a branding statement: Skills + Personality/Passion + Market needs = Branding Statement. It's a great formula, but not the only approach. A number of resources are available for helping you to compose a branding statement, also known as a brandpositioning statement, including several at our Personal Branding & Career Self-Marketing Tools section. Especially see our Career Branding Tutorial beginning hereand our article, Is "The Breakfast of Champions" in Your Resume?

 

Other resources include these books:

• William Arruda and Kirsten Dixson. Career Distinction: Stand Out by Building Your Brand, $21.95. Hardcover: 224 pages. Wiley. (See our review of Career Distinction.)

• Andrusia, D. & Haskins, R. Brand Yourself: How to Create an Identity for a Brilliant Career. Paperback: 256 pages. Ballantine.

 

Final Thoughts and Samples

A "headline" atop your resume usually identifies the type of job you seek. The headline and branding statement are often used in combination, as shown in some of the examples below:

 

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Poised to apply strong leadership, entrepreneurial, and business-development background as a successful MBA student.

 

 

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TOP-PRODUCING SALES PROFESSIONAL 

Positioned to draw on record of achievement and success to deliver exceptional sales results that maximize unequivocal strengths as outstanding, top-producing sales professional.

 

 

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RECEPTIONIST 

Poised to contribute strong interpersonal, communications, and organizational skills and experience to your organization in a front-line, customer-support role.

 

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JUNIOR SOFTWARE ENGINEER 

Equipped to deliver current education and training in computer-science applications delivered through enthusiastic, positive, "can-do" attitude and trainability.

 

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Project Manager 

Delivering project-management expertise, along with unsurpassed business analysis and application design, development, and implementation proficiencies, to organizations seeking a dynamic, self-motivated professional to build winning partnerships that produce exceptional results.

 

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PROJECT MANAGER 

Delivering excellence in operations management, design implementation, and strategic, collaborative problem-solving to the industrial construction industry.

 

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SENIOR EXECUTIVE 

Specialize in raising the bar, creating strategy, managing risk, and improving the quality and caliber of operations.

 

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INDUSTRIAL ENGINEER, MANUFACTURING 

Prepared to deliver strong industrial-engineering skills and insights, gained through accomplished record of experience, to your firm in a Manufacturing Engineer capacity.

 

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SALES PROFESSIONAL 

Offering exceptional sales instincts and significant record of progressive success to your organization in an inside/outside sales-development role.

 

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SENIOR PROGRAM MANAGEMENT PROFESSIONAL 

Providing expertise in multi-disciplinary project management, program management, and product development. Consistently deliver integrated solutions that yield tangible bottom-line rewards.

 

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KEY ACCOUNT MANAGER 

Bringing a wealth and diversity of skills in management, education, and human relations and prepared to apply knowledge of medicine, science, and nutrition to enhance quality of life by promoting pharmaceutical products and services.

 

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Product Marketing Manager 

Delivering entrepreneurial insight and marketing expertise to build winning partnerships and produce exceptional bottom-line rewards.

 

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REPORT COORDINATOR 

Poised to deliver excellence and professionalism in call-center efficiency, organization, and operations.

 

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SITE TRAINING MANAGER 

High-performing senior-level, training professional eager to provide leadership and deliver results for [name of firm].

 

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TAX ACCOUNTANT 

Offering accounting experience and specific expertise in tax research, strategy, and planning.

 

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Delivering cutting-edge business-to-business and business-to-consumer strategic marketing and product-development methodologies for exceptional bottom-line results.

 

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Dedicated nursing professional committed to excellence in patient care and poised to deliver unsurpassed, individualized nursing care in an acute care setting

 

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Poised to contribute strong coordination skills and experience in marketing, sports, and agricultural operations to new career focus in your organization as Events/Sponsorship Coordinator

 

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PROGRAM/PROJECT MANAGER 

Poised to contribute master's-level management and administrative skills combined with broad experience in technology-rich settings.

 

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SENIOR DESKTOP SUPPORT SPECIALIST 

Delivering leading-edge innovation to IT solutions.

 

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PHARMACEUTICAL SPECIALTY SALES REPRESENTATIVE 

Eager to strengthen the mission of leading-edge pharmaceutical advancement.

 

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DIRECTOR OF MARKETING AND RECRUITMENT 

Poised to deliver to strong proficiencies in marketing, communications, recruitment, and organization to promote your campus learning environment and facilitate student success.

 

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Human Resources Strategist 

Poised to deliver success-proven operations and human-resources management methodologies in management role.

 

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SENIOR-LEVEL SALES and MARKETING LEADER 

Positioned to contribute progressive, innovative sales and marketing methodologies with energy, enthusiasm, and professionalism to your organization in a leadership role.

 

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Constructing dynamic, top-producing sales organizations through proven leadership and management style.

 

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Eager to contribute fresh degree in Environmental Science and strong applicable field experience to your organization in a hands-on testing and evaluative capacity.

 

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Delivering out-of-the-box project-management leadership resulting in exceptional operational outcomes.

 

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Well prepared to provide executive-level administrative support and contribute to optimized work-product delivery through solid skills in organization, communication, and negotiation.

 

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Providing executive-level administrative support services through strong interpersonal skills, unsurpassed organizational abilities, face-of-the-department front-line professionalism, and highly successful career experiences.

 

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Ideally positioned to contribute exceptional teaching and curriculum-planning skills, in conjunction with 15+-year career of professional cosmetology achievement, to your organization in a teaching capacity.

 

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Positioned to deliver visionary leadership and strategic direction to the Chemical Engineering industry in senior-level position in manufacturing, research and development, and knowledge exchange systems.

 

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Uniquely positioned to deliver exceptional results in business-process management, solutions implementation, and service delivery, combined with expert-level technical proficiencies, in a Project Management capacity.

 

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Positioned to deliver exceptional marketing and product-management outcomes based on solid experience and success in key leadership roles in marketing, e-commerce, and technology industries.

 

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Positioned to provide leadership through solid foundation of accomplishments infinance, accounting, and customer service in a Director of Finance capacity.

 

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Uniquely positioned to deliver extraordinary outcomes in financial managementopportunities.

 

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PRODUCT DEMONSTRATOR AND BRAND REPRESENTATIVE 

Prepared to contribute enthusiastic sales support and provide "face-of-the-brand" recognition to your marketing campaign.

 

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