Overcome the fear of being unemployable with personal rebranding
A recent Korn Ferry article, The Fear of Becoming Unemployable, underscores an unsettling trend: even highly skilled professionals are struggling to find footing in a transformed job market and many are in their 30s and 40s! Not even over-the-hill.
This is a real problem!
When I posted the article on my LinkedIn, I received a lot of responses, so I wanted to write a longer reflection here.
I absolutely think there is a crisis going on in the workforce regarding hiring and job placement. I've experienced it firsthand myself. My closest friends have gone/are going through it too.
I don't have answers.
It’s a complex problem layered with economic downturns, technological advances, degree saturation, title inflation, and other systemic injustices at play.
We can't point to one thing and say exactly why highly skilled people in their 30s and 40s are facing lengthy periods of unemployment more than prior generations.
IMAGE FROM KORN FERRY ARTICLE
Even though the unemployment rate is around 4%, there's been a 15% jump in people unemployed for 27 weeks or longer!
There is a career traffic jam going on, and people are literally being "frozen out of the job market."
What To Do
While I don't know how to solve this on a macro level, I do have thoughts on steps to take as an individual.
As the Korn Ferry article says, one pivotal insight shines through:
“Longtime recruiters say there are steps to take, including a personal rebranding.”
This is a prime time to ramp up how you see yourself and dial in your personal brand.
In order to cut through the noise, be seen, land interviews and help your network HELP YOU! (Remember: your network are your best champions to helping you find hidden job opportunities. If they don't know who you are, then they can't advocate for new job prospects for you either).
Image from Korn Ferry
Personal rebranding isn’t what you think it is.
It isn't just a tactical update to your resume or LinkedIn profile—it’s a strategic positioning (and sometimes reinvention) of how you share your professional identity with others.
As I define it, personal branding is “the act of intentionally putting your professional identity into the world.”
You have to know who you are and how you see yourself before you can craft your personal brand.
Rebranding is not about becoming who you think others are seeking and getting flashier at promoting that. It’s about confidently showcasing the unique intersections of your skills, experiences, and passions that make you indispensable in a workforce that increasingly values adaptability and creativity.
The Art of Personal Rebranding
Personal rebranding involves doing a few things so you stand out in crowded markets and people REMEMBER you when they're looking to hire talent:
Define Your Hybridity:
You’re not just a marketer, strategist, or engineer—you’re the unique combination of all the experiences and identities you’ve cultivated over your career. Rebranding allows you to emphasize the intersections where these identities meet and shine. That's where your value prop is.Tell a Better Story:
Instead of answering the dreaded “What do you do?” with a stale job title, rebranding helps you craft a narrative and elevator pitch centered on who you are and the impact you create. Focus on what makes you, you, the problems you solve, and the difference you make.Position Yourself as a Solution:
In today’s market, companies aren’t just hiring—they’re solving problems. When your professional identity clearly communicates how you address pressing challenges, you become more than a candidate; you become the answer.Show Your Intentionality:
By actively sharing your professional identity—through networking, thought leadership, or tailored job applications—you demonstrate foresight, self-awareness, and adaptability.
Check out the example below to see what I mean.
I you need help with with your personal rebrand, don't be afraid to reach out. Schedule time with me here.
Share Your Hybridity on LinkedIn
After a talk I gave a few weeks ago, I was pleasantly surprised to be tagged in a post by Emily Rose. She was so inspired that she wasted no time expressing her hybrid professional identity online.
This is a great example of an easy way to update your personal brand publicly and get people to better see and understand who you are!
