I like my job, but working in marketing for a human resources company has its challenges. When people think about HR, they don’t think “sexy.” They think the evil Catbert from “Dilbert.” Or the fact that their friend just got laid off from Hewlett Packard. It’s not a good starting place for trying to build and promote a positive brand identity.

Sometimes I fantasize about coming into work one morning and being told: “We’re not really doing the benefits and payroll administration thing anymore. Instead, we’re selling these little cinnamon raisin tarts. We found the recipe in a drawer somewhere. The growth potential is excellent, our shareholders are thrilled, and they’re remarkably low calorie. Do you think you can run with this for a while?”