By Amanda Sulkosky,
Stillman News Writer
The Women’s Leadership Program had their second annual panel discussion on Tuesday, February 17 from 7 to 8:30 p.m. in the Jubilee Auditorium. The topic was “How to Brand Yourself.”
The panel members included Vanessa Marling, Managing Director at JP Morgan; Elaine Rizzo, Senior Vice President HR at Investors Bank; Henry Amoroso, Chair of the Department of Economic and Legal Studies at Seton Hall University.
The moderator was Kathleen Ellis, Senior Vice President at Chubb Insurance.
The first question Ellis posed to the panel was how to develop a brand. Marling began with saying it is vital to disregard superficial stereotypes.
Also, how it is important to be passionate and accessible to people. Rizzo followed by agreeing that passion is necessary, but consistency is essential to developing a brand as well.
Amoroso had the last comments by agreeing with passion. He also suggested to think of branding as developing a reputation.
Ellis then inquired if the gender roles played a role in branding.
Amoroso brought up the point that men are used to recognizing their skill sets and utilizing them, while women are newer to the workforce and have more difficulty finding themselves.
Therefore, women need to work more diligently to find their skills. Marling agreed that women have more difficulties and need to become more confident. Rizzo never saw much of a difference between men and women when it came to branding, expect that women in the workforce were normally more vocal about family than men were.
Another topic that was stressed was how tricky branding can be. Ellis cautioned students against being put into a role and not being true to the people who they are.
If a student is caught in that situation, according to Rizzo, he or she should just leave the company because there are many other jobs and companies where the student can be who he or she truly is.
Vanessa warned students against being boxed in by a brand and suggested to learn how to tailor the brand to the situation a student can find himself or herself in.
Amoroso stressed the importance of using a value system, that would help a student get through hard times, to be a guide as he or she creates a brand.
After giving advice on branding all night, the panelist were asked to give words that would describe their brand. Amoroso said he was consistent, honest, and innovative.
Rizzo was smart, honest, and courageous, and Marling has integrity and high energy.
Being able to categorize a brand in a few words can only be done after knowing and developing a brand for many years.
Many students could try to describe their brand in a few words, but it will most likely not be the same words that he or she would use ten years from now.
Students were able to learn from such successful executives and apply it to their own growing professional careers.
A version of this article appeared in the Tuesday, Feb. 24th print edition.
Contact Amanda at
amanda.sulkosky@student.shu.edu
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