TROY, MI--(Marketwire - November 11, 2010) - Within the United States, individuals are developing their own personal "brand" in order to differentiate themselves and improve their job prospects, according to the latest survey results from workforce solutions leader Kelly Services® (
The findings are part of the Kelly Global Workforce Index, which obtained the views of approximately 134,000 people, including almost 13,000 in the United States.
According to the survey, the traits individuals identify as the most important in creating their personal brands include verbal communication skills (66 percent), followed by technical knowledge (60 percent), résumés (57 percent), written communications (57 percent), personal attire (50 percent), and use of social media (35 percent).
"In today's workforce, many individuals independently operate as contractors and 'free agents,' and are taking responsibility for important aspects of work including personal marketing," Kelly Services Executive Vice President and General Manager Mike Webster says. "Personal branding is taking on a new importance as more people take control of their careers and market themselves to a vast audience."
The research also showed more than half of respondents are willing to invest their own money to upgrade their skills -- not waiting on their employer to do it for them -- while two-thirds believe they will change their careers or re-invent themselves in the future.
Those industries in the U.S. where employees are most willing to spend their own money to upgrade their skills are Engineering, IT, Science/Pharmaceutical, and Financial Services.
Results of the survey in the United States show:
- 70 percent of baby boomers cite verbal communication skills among the most important element in personal branding, compared with Gen X (65 percent), and Gen Y (61 percent).
- 58 percent of Gen X are prepared to spend their own money on training to upgrade their skills, higher than for baby boomers (54 percent) and Gen Y (53 percent).
- 70 percent of Gen Y are "very optimistic" about their ability to keep pace with technological and other change in the workplace, higher than for Gen X (62 percent) and baby boomers (53 percent).
- 69 percent of Gen X expect to change their career at some stage in the future, higher than for Gen Y (67 percent) and baby boomers (63 percent).
- 20 percent of respondents describe themselves as "very active" in their use of social media for personal marketing, while another 32 percent say they are "somewhat active."
"Many employees realize they will need to switch careers at some stage in their life. Not only has the job-for-life disappeared but the career-for-life is going the same way," Webster concludes.
For more information about these survey results and other key global findings, please visit the Kelly Global Workforce Index.
Currently, Kelly Services is collecting opinions about work and the workplace. To be a part of the next Kelly Global Workforce Index, take the survey at www.kellyservices.com.
About the Kelly Global Workforce Index
The Kelly Global Workforce Index is an annual survey revealing opinions about work and the workplace from a generational viewpoint. Approximately 134,000 people from North America, Europe, and Asia Pacific responded to the 2010 survey with results published on a quarterly basis. In 2009, Kelly Services was the recipient of a MarCom Gold Award for the Kelly Global Workforce Index in the Research/Study category.
About Kelly Services
Kelly Services, Inc. (
Contact Information:
Media contact:
Kathy Fisher
Kelly Services
248 244-4909
kathy_fisher@kellyservices.com