Brand new you

What does it mean to build a personal brand? And why is it important to do so in today's job market?

HR consultant Sally Jacobson, a former HR director at L&Q, gave some top tips at last night's Badenoch & Clark housing career strategies seminar in London.

Your brand:

•    I understand brand to be reputation – how you are perceived. Although housing is a big world to us, it’s a tiny world. People do know us, especially at senior level.

•    You’ve got to think, ‘How am I perceived at the moment by those above me, those below me, our customers.’

•    The only way to get a great personal brand is to make sure people you work with and your customers speak well of you.

•    You want people at junior level saying, ‘Oh, she’s brilliant’, not ‘Oh, she’s loathsome.”

•    You’ll also be judged on how the people around you operate – they will make you or break you.

People management:

•    You know who your A* members of staff are, and your As, Bs and Cs. Your D is the person about who you think about on the way into work, and ask, ‘What are they going to do today?’

•    If you put up with poor performance, Cs & Ds, you will lose your A*s. Why should they stay?

•    Cs & Ds include people who whinge and whine and spread doom and gloom. The sort of people who when somebody comes up with a good idea, say, ‘We tried that two years ago…’

•    Concentrate on your As and Bs, give them great one-to-ones, look for opportunities for them, celebrate their achievements and reward them at appraisal.

•    Very few people want to give poor performance. Most people want to go home and think they’ve done a good job. You’ve got to know the hopes and dreams of everyone in your organisation and the most important thing is honesty. It’s important you give people the truth [about their career progression]. Some people may be happy staying doing the job they’re doing, make sure they are rewarded and recognised for it.

•    Higher staff satisfaction will lead to higher customer satisfaction. It may take some time, but we’re not here to impress the housing minister, we’re here for our customers.

•    If you’ve got sickness rates of over 3 per cent among your staff, you’ve got a serious problem. Your first question to somebody who has called in sick should be, ‘I’m really sorry you’re not well. When should we expect you back?’

If you’re not happy in your job…:

•    In housing, we’re helping the most vulnerable people in society – everybody should be enjoying it, but they’re not – why not?

•    Think of a job you did love – why did you love it? Think of a job you didn’t like – why didn’t you like it? It will be about somebody you worked for or with.

•    I’ve heard all sorts of excuses for people staying in jobs they don’t like: ‘It could be worse’; ‘It’s close to home’; ‘I won’t let X get to me – I’m not leaving.’ This is your life – if you’re not enjoying your job, get another one.

Interview tips for senior housing professionals:

•    People know you at your level, if a difficult time/event is brought up, be honest, don’t try to gloss it over.

•    Always ask for feedback if you don’t get a job. Go to see the interviewer in person, they will be more honest with you face-to-face.