Essentially, your personal brand is your reputation. It’s what others think and say about you based on what you do and how you do it.
You already have a brand. Your brand is your personal DNA - the combination of personal attributes, values, strengths, and passions that people know you for and that represent the value you offer. It's up to you to identify those qualities and characteristics within you, bring all the pieces together, and communicate a crystal clear, consistent message.
Today, your brand is largely influenced by your online presence. Managing your online presence is essential to ensure that you are presenting yourself in the best possible way.
Here are 8 tips for building your personal brand.
1. DEFINE WHO YOU ARE
What do you want people to think when they hear your name… intelligent, motivated, trustworthy, stylish, funny, an expert in a particular field? What are your passions? What are your ambitions? What makes you, you? Take time to carefully consider these questions before you go any further. The first thing you need to understand is who you are as an individual and brand. Once you understand how you wish your brand to be perceived, you can start to be much more strategic about your personal brand.
2. GET ADDITIONAL EDUCATION OR TRAINING
To excel in your career you need to continue your education and training. Getting additional education can greatly enhance your career brand. It may be hard in terms of time and finances, but find a way to do it. Some employers even offer an educational reimbursement benefit. If you are unsure if you need more education, seek out a mentor for advice – someone highly respected in your field, who has branded himself or herself well. You’ll be surprised with the positive responses you’ll get to your requests for help.
3. BE KNOWN FOR SOMETHING
To really shine, you need to be clear on who you are, what you want, and you need to harness and build your skills and knowledge. The key is to not only build them, but to become known for them, in a way that differentiates you from everyone else. It's not just enough that you know what you know -- others have to know that you know it. This is how you become a thought leader or an expert. And remember to be specific. If you think you can be known for everything, you run the risk of being known for nothing at all. Get clarity, build your deep expertise, and then you can become known for it.
4. BUILD RELATIONSHIPS
Nothing is more powerful in building your career brand than what your network of contacts – your friends, colleagues, customers, clients and former bosses – say about you and your set of skills, education and accomplishments. And keeping your network strong involves nothing more than relationship building. Keep in contact with your network and be sure they know of your most recent successes. Don’t be shy!
5. PROMOTE YOUR BRAND ONLINE
The online world gives you an amazing opportunity to brand yourself, and separate yourself from the crowd. Promote your brand on social media by sharing interesting insights. LinkedIn allows you to put your accomplishments out there for the world (and future employers and recruiters) to see. Also, if you set up a LinkedIn profile, it will be one of the first things that people see when they Google you online, so it’s another easy way to exercise control over your digital persona.
Think about building a personal website, blog or tweet about your area of expertise. Before long your reputation as someone to hire will precede you. And don’t forget your Facebook page! Watch what you post. Clean it up if you need to. Don’t post things you wouldn’t want your future employer to see!! We realise Facebook is about your personal life, but when you get out into the real work world, you’ve got to present the best version of yourself so you can get your dream job.
6. USE STORIES TO BUILD YOUR BRAND
Every person, brand and organisation has a story to tell and amazing stories deserve a good audience. Stories can be personal stories, professional stories, stories that let people know who you are, what you stand for, what you do, why you are different, and where you are going (describing your goals in a broad sense). And when we start telling our stories, they start resonating with people.
Our personal success stories are an important asset when it comes to building our brand. But while we’re often quite good at highlighting our successes, we’re not always so good at telling the stories behind them. However, it’s often the “story”—and our ability to tell it well—that ultimately sets us apart from the crowd…and builds our personal brand.
7. MAKE SURE EVERYTHING YOU DO IS ‘ON BRAND’
Once you identify and build your brand, remember to continue strengthening and protecting it.
Create and nurture your unique personal brand. Stand and be known for something. Make sure everything you do is on brand. Continually investing in your personal brand will ensure you stand out from your competition. It is through elevating yourself above others in your industry that people will want to work with you. When managed well, your personal brand is an asset that can make all the difference to your career.
8. YOUR PERSONAL BRAND MATTERS!
In today’s marketplace, it’s tough to stand out. Good grades and lots of extracurricular activities won’t guarantee that you’ll land the job of your dreams, or that you’ll even land an interview. There are many qualified candidates out there. That’s why your personal brand matters.
Cater your personal brand to fit not only your strengths but also your passions. Incorporate your personality – your humor, your goals, your positive attitude – and let that shine through every aspect of the public self you create for employers. The secret to standing out is to impress recruiters and employers with the unique and authentic you—in person, on paper, and online. This is your personal brand.
“Creating your brand clearly and consistently will create a memorable experience in the minds of those you interact with and can open doors to new opportunities.”