Oprah Winfrey and emotional connectivity. Steve Jobs and technological design, both the aesthetic and the functional. Salman Khan and education accessibility. All of these people have an identity for which they are known and celebrated and personalities that carried over into their business dealings.
The title of this post – “What is your fingerprint?” – was a question asked of a business group to which I belong. Immediately, the above people sprung to mind. What I couldn’t think of was my own fingerprint. My background has been in a range of communication: media relations, content development, writing for online, social media management. Now, as I consider expanding my career into actively seeking opportunities to provide freelance services, I have to consider if I am a jack-of-all-trades or if I should narrow down my offerings to a top-three. One piece of advice that most business people would give entrepreneurs is to know what you do and do it well over trying to be everything for everyone.
For months I’ve been working on my nervousness about putting myself out for public consideration, and if a potential client will find me lacking. It’s as though seven years of work experience and two degrees fly out the window. My heart is in my throat and I retreat. And then I got the question: “What is your fingerprint?” How do I want to be known, considered, evaluated and judged as a professional? Ultimately, it’s my responsibility to shape that image, and I must stop fearing it.
How do you shape your “fingerprint”? What did you do to take the reins on your image?