Discovering your Personal Brand

Let’s face it we might love the internet, social media, and the era of selfies or we might hate it. One thing is for sure that the world is changing and at the heart of the change is technology. You can pretend it’s not happening or you can embrace the change and use it to your advantage, especially in building the ultimate career.

In my previous post, I looked at the importance of having a personal brand for your career. Because of the internet today, you have a personal brand whether you like it or not. So what does your brand say about you? What do you want it to say? Think about how you show up, how others perceive you, what you know, and what your online profile says about you. The most important job that you have today is to be the President of your own brand.

Here are some easy steps to help you start building your personal brand to further your career:

Find the real you
You need to develop your personal brand in light of who you actually are. Start by identifying the qualities or characteristics that make you distinctive from your peers. When you strip away the mask, who are you really, and how can you show up in a way that allows your true authentic self to show through?

Others' perception about you
Think about other people and the impressions you are making on colleagues and business associates. Take the time to speak with many different people to understand how they perceive your strengths and then use this information as you create your personal brand. This will help you to get to know yourself through the eyes of others, understand your differentiation, and discern what makes you compelling.

Be known for something
Every good brand involves the notion of expertise. Volkswagen is known as the People’s cars. Apple is the most innovative. Durban is the ‘Surf City. What do you do better than anyone else? What’s your superpower? To find out, think about what’s innate: what are you naturally good at? Find what your role is, what you do best or that no one else is doing, and find ways to be innovative in your area of expertise.

Live it
This is probably the hardest part but will pay off the most in the long term. Act in a manner that consistently and constantly promotes the brand you’ve chosen for yourself. Every time you are in a meeting, at a conference, networking reception, or another event, you should be mindful of what others are experiencing about you and what you want others to experience about you. Each of these engagements is similar to a job interview – except in these cases you are being evaluated by your peers. Those who know how to live and manage their personal brand will earn the respect and brand recognition in any situation.

Personal branding is no longer an option; it’s a powerful leadership enabler. In order to reach the success you need to know exactly what you stand for in the world, how to stand apart from others, and communicate that competitive difference with confidence and clarity.

If you are looking to move ahead in your career and need help with getting your personal brand out there to prospective new employers, we can assist. Communicate Recruitment is a recruitment agency with specialist consultants that will help you connect with new career opportunities, whether it’s Finance jobs, IT jobs, Engineering jobs, Freight jobs, or Supply Chain jobs. Check out our vacancy page and apply now!

Credit: FreeDigitalPhotos.net by Stuart Miles