Why Reputation Matters At Work And How To Build It

You probably already know this, but the most important career capital you have isn’t your technical skills or academic pedigree. It’s not your title. It’s not even your relationships. It’s your reputation. It’s what you’re known for. It’s what others believe to be true about your character, personality, skills, competencies and values.

A great reputation builds trust and inspires. It, combined with hard work and preparation, can do wonders for your career and your life in general. A positive professional reputation will enhance your ability to attract great job offers; set the stage for promotions (and salary bumps); impact opportunities to work on preferred projects and not least, will make going to work far more pleasant.

So what can you do to build and protect a good reputation? Firstly, reputations are not formed instantaneously and you’ll need more than just good everyday performance at your job. A great reputation is formed through the consistent demonstration of your values, personal characteristics and personal branding.

Values

A simple starting point. Know and live your values every day, minute by minute. However strongly you feel the pressure to change, stand up for what you feel to be right and stay true to the kind of reputation that you want to build for yourself.

Take your cue from Kubi Springer, brand specialist and author of the book I Am My Brand, who suggests, “Think about your values as the things that define why you behave the way you do. They are key to identifying your principles.” Decide who and what you are and keep that vision of yourself in mind as you move through life.

Personal Characteristics

These are things like your temperament, attitude, dependability and trustworthiness. In every job, people will wonder if you have what it takes to get things done, if you can deal with a wide range of people and if you can handle crises and adversity.

At the end of the day it’s important to match your internal perception of yourself with the external. You know how you want to be viewed so you need to consistently cast that image to others. Become known as a good team player; a strategist; a constructive thinker and a person consistent in mood and communication style. Be that leader who follows through on promises; embraces change; treats people with respect; frames their ideas with tact and someone who takes ownership of their mistakes.You are entirely in control of these aspects of your reputation.

Personal Branding

Your personal brand is a deliberate statement about the value that you bring to your employer and to your clients. It’s how you differentiate yourself and stand out from your peers. You create your brand by defining your values, developing a strong skill set and determining where you want your professional activities to take you.

Keeping your reputation consistent with your brand is very important. Understanding how your actions and decisions affect your reputation is part of the process of creating your personal brand. And developing a great reputation is an essential part of building a strong and positive brand image.

Kabi Springer goes further when she says “When you really own your brand, it changes how you ask for a raise, negotiate a deal and secure that promotion. When you own your brand you can walk away from companies and projects that are not serving you, and you can turn down clients and investments that do not align with your brand values. Owning your brilliance is like an anchor during the turbulent winds of business, it keeps you rooted to your truth when everything else around you is in chaos.”

Learning how to build a solid reputation is an important step in your career––establishing a great one will open doors to fantastic opportunities. If you’re ready to leverage your hard-earned reputation, now is the time to fully explore all your available career options. Your first stop? Head to The Hill Job Board where you can browse thousands of jobs right now. Here are three hiring this week…

Legislative analyst, American Gas Association, Washington

The American Gas Association, founded in 1918, represents more than 200 local energy companies that deliver clean natural gas throughout the United States. It is currently recruiting a Legislative Analyst to support its government relations objectives by identifying, monitoring and analyzing legislation, maintaining compendiums and trackers on relevant issues and advocacy priorities for public consumption, as well as participating in the development and maintenance of regulatory and legislative program content for the AGA website. To apply, you’ll need an undergraduate degree, two years of previous legislative, regulatory, lobbying or political experience in a support position, and an understanding of the legislative process, political fundraising and campaigns and/or public relations. Learn more here.

Program Director, State League Services, National League of Cities, Washington

The National League of Cities is an organization based in Washington, D.C. comprised of city, town, and village leaders across the country that are focused on improving the quality of life for their current and future constituents. The Program Director, State League Services, will direct the overall development and management of the State League Services department, including managing relations with the nation’s 49 state municipal leagues, developing and implementing member services for them for the State League leadership and staff, and providing advice and facilitating cross-center efforts to engage them in programs and activities across NLC. The ideal candidate will understand association leadership and management; display a high emotional intelligence; have a Bachelor’s degree in a related field and eight years’ of practical experience, plus at least four years’ of experience leading the planning, implementation, and/or administration of a non-profit program. Apply for the job now.

Technical Program Manager III, Android, Chrome and Play, Software Engineering, Google, Mountain View

Google is seeking a Technical Program Manager to lead complex, multi-disciplinary projects from start to finish; work with stakeholders to plan requirements, identify risks, manage project schedules, and communicate clearly with cross-functional partners across the company. The new hire will be as comfortable explaining analyses and recommendations to executives as they will be discussing the technical tradeoffs in product development with engineers. Applicants must have a Bachelor’s degree in a relevant field, or equivalent practical experience and five years’ of experience in program management, software development and operating systems. Successful applicants will most likely have experience with SDLC, release and vendor management as well as show ability to collaborate with team members to solve software engineering challenges such as bug triage, source control, continuous integration, etc. Further information on this role here.

For more career opportunities and to find a job that reflects your reputation, visit The Hill Jobs Board