Living Your Company’s Brand

Gearing up for graduation so you can start that full-time job? You've learned how to network. Now read what Cody Cheetham has to say before you head to the office:

Think about the last time you had an important exam. Did you study or just wing it? How did you find the information you needed? Did you take notes from the lectures, read the book, or reach for a lifeline and phone-a-friend? Well, preparing for a new job is a lot like studying for an exam.

At this point, you’ve aced your interview, signed your acceptance letter, and gotten your new work wardrobe ready, but how much do you really know about your new employer? With so much information out there, where do you start?

A great starting point is your future company’s brand. Companies with a focused brand strategy filter all aspects of their business around their brand promise. Learning about your company’s brand before you decorate your new office is beneficial for a number of reasons:

1. A company’s brand reflects how they want others to perceive them. It’s the framework for managing clients, projects, and interacting as a group. A company’s brand shows you who they are and what they stand for, and can help you get a basic understanding of how you’ll fit.

2. Taking to heart the company’s brand values and promise makes you a more efficient and reputable employee. Asking questions, being knowledgeable on diverse aspects of the organization, and understanding the company org chart are all ways to help you tune in to your company’s brand (Hint: These are especially helpful if your company’s brand values and promise aren’t posted all over its website!).

3. Several Human Resources guides also suggest that as employees digest the company’s brand, success becomes a byproduct of their actions. In doing so, your actions are well-aligned with the company’s brand and goals, thus accelerating your work performance.

Authors of the book Brand from the Inside, Libby Sartain and Mark Schumann offer advice in understanding your company’s brand. They believe appreciating the company’s brand is a necessary part of professional development. This helps employees develop the skills necessary to deliver the company’s promise (a.k.a. results).

Each company’s brand is a sum of its employees’ personal brands . As part of your brand, you can proudly sport your Mizzou colors in the office. But before you pick out the perfect Tiger to decorate your desk, consider what questions you’ll ask, what parts of the company you could learn more about, and how to incorporate your company’s brand promise in your work.

Cody Cheetham recently joined the Adayana Branding and Communications team as a Communications Specialist. She graduated from Purdue University with a Bachelor of Arts in Communication and has prior experience in both Branding and Communications, including work with Red Bull North America and Suite Dreams Project, a not-for-profit charity in Indianapolis. Cody also represented her class as the student responder at their commencement ceremony last May.