Conceptualisation and Operationalisation of the Personal Brand V.A.L.U.E. Career Development Tool
Cover of GJSD Vol. 4 Issue 1.
PDF

Keywords

career development
case study
employability
graduates
intrapersonal brand

Categories

How to Cite

Sylvester, R., & Donald, W. E. (2024). Conceptualisation and Operationalisation of the Personal Brand V.A.L.U.E. Career Development Tool. GILE Journal of Skills Development, 4(1), 30–46. https://doi.org/10.52398/gjsd.2024.v4.i1.pp30-46

Abstract

The purpose of our manuscript is to conceptualise and operationalise the Personal Brand V.A.L.U.E. Career Development Tool. The V.A.L.U.E. acronym stands for Vision, Ability, Love, Understanding, and Ecosystem. The paper adopts a case study design based on qualitative insights via an in-depth and semi-structured interview with an individual who has used the Personal Brand V.A.L.U.E. Career Development Tool over five years, initially in their final year of university (2018-2019) and subsequently as a graduate in the labour market (2019-2023). The lived experience provided through the case study provides insights into the operationalisation of the Personal Brand V.A.L.U.E. Career Development Tool for (i) preparing and navigating the university-to-work transition, (ii) navigating an unplanned career transition, and (iii) navigating a planned career transition. The theoretical contribution comes from conceptualising the Personal Brand V.A.L.U.E. Career Development Tool. The practical contribution comes from offering implications for (a) students and universities and (b) workers and organisations to operationalise the tool. A future research agenda is also presented.

https://doi.org/10.52398/gjsd.2024.v4.i1.pp30-46
PDF

References

Agnihotri, S., Shiva, A., & Khan, F. N. (2023). Investigating forms of graduate capital and their relationship to perceived employability: An application of PLS predict and IPMA. Higher Education, Skills and Work-Based Learning, 13(1), 179–197. https://doi.org/10.1108/HESWBL-07-2022-0146

Ahmad, A. (2018). The relationship among job characteristics organizational commitment and employee turnover intentions: A reciprocation perspective. Journal of Work-Applied Management, 10(1), 74–92. https://doi.org/10.1108/JWAM-09-2017-0027

Akkermans, J., Donald, W. E., Jackson, D., & Forrier, A. (2023). Are we talking about the same thing? The case for stronger connections between graduate and worker employability research. Career Development International. Advanced Online Publication. https://doi.org/10.1108/CDI-08-2023-0278

Akkermans, J., Tomlinson, M., & Anderson, V. (2023). Initial employability development: Introducing a conceptual model integrating signalling and social exchange mechanisms. European Journal of Work and Organizational Psychology. Advanced Online Publication. https://doi.org/10.1080/1359432X.2023.2186783

Anderson, V., & Tomlinson, M. (2021). Signaling standout graduate employability: The employer perspective. Human Resource Management Journal, 31(3), 675–693. https://doi.org/10.1111/1748-8583.12334

Bandura, A. (1977). Self-efficacy: Toward a unifying theory of behavioral change. Psychology Review, 84(2), 191–215. https://doi.org/10.1037/0033-295X.84.2.191

Baruch, Y. (2015). Organizational and labor market as career eco-system. In A. De Vos & B. I. J. M. Van der Heijden (Eds.), Handbook of research on sustainable careers (pp. 164-180). Edward Elgar Publishing.

Blau, P. (1964). Exchange and power in social life. Wiley.

Brower, T. (2019). Bring work to life by bringing life to work: A guide for leaders and organizations. Berrett-Koehler Publishers.

Choi, M., & Roulston, K. (2015). Learning transfer in practice: A qualitative study of medical professionals’ perspectives. Human resource development quarterly, 26(3), 249–273. https://doi.org/10.1002/hrdq.21209

Cole, D., & Donald, W. E. (2022). Shifting the narrative: Towards a more holistic approach to learning. GiLE Journal of Skills Development, 2(1), 3–4. https://doi.org/10.52398/gjsd.2022.v2.i1.pp3-4

Donald, W. E. (2023). (Ed.) Handbook of research on sustainable career ecosystems for university students and graduates. IGI Global. https://doi.org/10.4018/978-1-6684-7442-6

Donald, W. E., Baruch, Y., & Ashleigh, M. J. (2023). Construction and operationalisation of an Employability Capital Growth Model (ECGM) via a systematic literature review (2016-2022). Studies in Higher Education. Advanced Online Publication. https://doi.org/10.1080/03075079.2023.2219270

Donald, W. E., & Jackson, D. (2023). Sustainable career ecosystems: Setting the scene. In W. E. Donald (Ed.), Handbook of sustainable career ecosystems for university students and graduates (pp. 1-13). IGI Global. https://doi.org/10.4018/978-1-6684-7442-6.ch001

Donald, W. E., & Mouratidou, M. (2022). Preparing for a sustainable career: Challenges and opportunities. GiLE Journal of Skills Development, 2(2), 3-5. https://doi.org/10.52398/gjsd.2022.v2.i2.pp3-5

Gioia, D. A., Corley, K. G., & Hamilton, A. L. (2013). Seeking qualitative rigor in inductive research: Notes on the Gioia methodology. Organizational Research Methods, 16(1), 15–31. https://doi.org/10.1177/1094428112452151

Gorbatov, S., Khapova, S. N., & Lysova, E. I. (2019). Personal branding: Interdisciplinary systematic review and research agenda, Frontiers in Psychology, 9, 2238. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2018.02238

Gorbatov, S., Khapova, S. N., Oostrom, J. K., & Lysova, E. I. (2021). Personal branding equity: Scale development and validation. Personnel Psychology, 74(3), 505–542. https://doi.org/10.1111/peps.12412

Healy, M., Hammer, S., & McIlveen, P. (2022). Mapping graduate employability and career development in higher education research: A citation network analysis. Studies in Higher Education, 47(1), 799–811. https://doi.org/10.1080/03075079.2020.1804851

Hobfoll, S.E. (1989). Conservation of resources. A new attempt at conceptualizing stress. American Psychologist, 44(3), 513–524. https://doi.org/10.1037/0003-066X.44.3.513

Kapferer, J. N. (2020). The new strategic brand management: Advanced insights and strategic thinking (7th Ed.). Kogan Page.

Kelly, P. (2023). Are you competent coping with uncertainty and risk? Implications for work-applied management. Journal of Work-Applied Management, 15(2), 241–251. https://doi.org/10.1108/JWAM-10-2022-0071

Kushal, S., & Nargundkar, R. (2021). Employer-oriented personal branding: Methods and skills for Indian business school students. Higher Education, Skills and Work-Based Learning, 11(1), 48-58. https://doi.org/10.1108/HESWBL-08-2019-0102

Lincoln, Y. S., & Guba, E. G. (1985). Naturalistic inquiry. Sage.

Marine, J. (2023). Educational is social management: A review of international models of changemaker education. Journal of Work-Applied Management, 15(2), 233–240. https://doi.org/10.1108/JWAM-04-2022-0022

Nimmi, P. M., Joseph, G., & Donald, W. E. (2022). Is it all about perception? A sustainability viewpoint on psychological capital and life wellbeing of management graduates. Higher Education, Skills and Work-Based Learning, 12(2), 384–398. http://doi.org/10.1108/HESWBL-01-2021-0004

Nimmi, P. M., Kuriakose, V., Donald, W. E., & Nowfal, M. (2021). HERO elements of psychological capital: Fostering career sustainability via resource caravans. Australian Journal of Career Development, 30(3), 199–210. https://doi.org/10.1177/10384162211066378

Nimmi, P. M., Mukundan, S. P., Jose, G., Tesi, A., & Alias, R. (2023). Future of work-apprehensions and excitement of management graduates. Higher Education, Skills and Work-Based Learning. Advanced Online Publication. https://doi.org/10.1108/HESWBL-08-2022-0181

Padgett, R. C., & Donald, W. E. (2023). Preparing graduates for sustainable careers: A case of ‘The Global Marketing Professional’ module. Higher Education, Skills and Work-Based Learning, 13(1), 22-35. https://doi.org/10.1108/HESWBL-03-2022-0073

Peters, T. (1997). The brand called you. Fast Company. https://www.fastcompany.com/28905/brandcalled-you

Pham, T., & Jackson, D. (2020). Employability and determinants of employment outcomes. In N. Tran, T. Pham, M. Tomlinson, K. Medica, & C. Thompson. (Eds.), Developing and utilizing employability capitals: Graduates’ strategies across labour markets (pp. 237–255). Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003004660-17

Saldaña, J. (2015). The coding manual for qualitative researchers (3rd Ed.). Sage.

Savickas, M. L. (2005). The theory and practice of career construction. In S. D. Brown & R. W. Lent. (Eds.), Career development and counseling: Putting theory and research to work (pp. 42-70). Wiley.

Spence, M. (1973). Job market signaling. The Quarterly Journal of Economics, 87(3), 355–374. https://doi.org/10.2307/1882010

Stake, R. E. (2000). Case studies. In N. K. Denzin & Y. S. Lincoln. (Eds.), Handbook of qualitative research (pp. 435-545). Sage.

Swanborn, P. (2010). Case study research: What, why and how? Sage.

Sylvester, R. (2016). Beyoncé – how brand licensing influences popular music acts. In C. Fill & S. Turnbull (Eds.), Marketing communications: Discovery, creation and conversations, (7th ed.). Pearson.

Sylvester, R. (2019). How brand licensing influences popular music acts. In C. Fill & S. Turnbull (Eds.), Marketing communications: Touchpoints, sharing and disruption (8th Ed.). Pearson.

Sylvester, R., & Donald, W. E. (2023). The personal brand V.A.L.U.E. Career development tool: A multi-perspective and interdisciplinary framework. In W. E. Donald (Ed.), Handbook of research on sustainable career ecosystems for university students and graduates (pp. 238-257). IGI Global. https://doi.org/10.4018/978-1-6684-7442-6.ch013

Sylvester, R., & O’Reilly, D. (2017). Re-mixing popular marketing education. In G. Smith, Z. Moir, M. Brennan, S. Rambarran, & P. Kirkman. (Eds.), The routledge research companion to popular music education (1st Ed.). Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781315613444-24

Van der Heijden, B. I. J. M., & De Vos, A. (2015). Sustainable careers: Introductory chapter. In A. De Vos & B. I. J. M. Van der Heijden (Eds.), Handbook of research on sustainable careers. Edward Elgar. https://doi.org./10.4337/9781782547037.00006

Yin, R. K. (2003). Case study research: Design and methods. Sage.

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

Copyright (c) 2024 Dr Ray Sylvester, William E. Donald