I will be having lunch tomorrow with someone who has been out of work for a while and he is looking for options on how to re-package himself in this digital environment. Should he blog? About what? Should he get a web site? Why?

Is the purpose of your blog to generate business leads?  Or does it simply serve as a personal branding tool?  Or do you just enjoy writing?  Or all three!  Do you get responses/comments from people?  Do you simply post it?  Or do you send out an email to your permission-granted email list as well.

These are questions I get all the time. My first question to them is always, “Who do you think you are? Who are you? What do you have to offer? Are you an expert in your field? Can you make someone’s life less complicated? Why would I bother reading or hearing from you. Where have you been all my life? Have you been in parallel development mode in your career?

Have you spent most of your adult life in the corporate world and never contemplated life outside the bubble? If you believe everything in your last performance review about your strengths, weaknesses and leadership potential, you have a lot of unpacking to do.

So when I sit down at lunch with my friend tomorrow, I will ask him these questions. The soul searching will commence as it did for me many years ago. But it is vital.

The hypnotic career trajectory we all used to follow diminishes by the minute. The office building or factory you call home is looking for other options and they are finding them. I saw a quote this morning from Maya Angelou, “Never make someone a priority when all you are to them is an option.” Truer words were never spoken.