Personal Branding, how important is that for your career?

In the past few years, personal branding has become more and more important. The difference between today and ten years ago, is the rise of social technologies, the instant access to the internet, and the blurring of boundaries between work and personal lives. Personal branding has stepped up to be a key consideration within your career and it is essential to invest time and effort in how you choose to present yourself. It could make the difference between you being very successful or not.

You might not think that you have a personal brand but everyone has one. It’s just that most people don’t know what their brand is saying about them, and few invest any time in building it, enhancing it, or leveraging it to support their careers.

How do I identify my brand?
There are several steps you can take to identify your brand. It all starts with self-assessment, what do you want your reputation to be? It’s about bringing together who you are, what you do, and how you do it. It’s about making your mark by being yourself—your best self. Think of your brand as your unique promise of value. It's what you're known for and how people experience you.

I am not a celebrity, why do I need a brand?
Many people think that personal branding is just for celebrities such as Paris Hilton or Taylor Swift, yet every one of us is a brand. Social media tools have leveled the playing ground and have enabled us to reach incredible heights, at the cost of our time. Employers will Google you before they even invite you to an interview and the reality is your current employer is probably keeping an eye on what you’re doing, too. When you interact with people, both online and offline, they’ll build up an image of who you are over time. You want to be in control of all of those impressions.

What Makes You Unique, Makes You Successful
Personal Branding is about identifying and then communicating what makes you unique and relevant for your employers so that you can reach your career goals. If you understand your strengths, skills, passions, and values, you can use this information to separate yourself from your competitors and stand out.

Regardless of age, regardless of position, regardless of the business we happen to be in, all of us need to understand the importance of branding.

In the next post, I will discuss tips on how to discover and identify your brand too. Start thinking differently about yourself. You are not defined by your job title or confined for that matter by your job description. If you want to reach the career goals you need to start thinking about your brand, the Me.Inc brand.

If you need assistance in getting your brand out there to secure your next career opportunity we can assist. Communicate Recruitment is a recruitment agency with consultants specializing in finding individuals Finance jobs, IT jobs, Engineering jobs, Freight jobs, and Supply Chain jobs. Check out our vacancy page and apply now!

Image Credit: FreeDigitalPhotos.net by KROMKRATHOG