Can you articulate your personal brand confidently and succinctly? Is it resonating and captivating? Does it describe you as the asset you are?
A personal brand has become a very critical component of overall career management and career direction. Yet some people don’t feel the need to focus on their own personal brand while employed.
They may assume they should just be part of their employer’s brand. They may even be thinking, “Why bother branding myself? Things are going great at this job and I’m not going anywhere!” (This is a very dangerous illusion.)
Tying yourself into your employer’s brand is a big mistake. Your personal brand doesn’t change based on where you’re employed; it stays with you. You should live up to the same brand statement when you’re employed as when you’re in career transition.
Everyone has a differentiator
There are certain professions where people have a harder time knowing how to stand out. People assume, for example, that all accountants are just bean counters – including the accountants themselves! I know for a fact this is not true. Every single one of them has a differentiator – personal assets and attributes he or she brings to an employer. And so do you.
That’s where a personal brand statement comes in. Much more than a few carefully chosen words, it’s a mindset that helps you and others recognize your unique value.
A personal brand statement is your competitive edge – the thing that would compel someone to pick up the phone and give you a call. It’s how people describe you to each other at the water cooler or the dinner table when you’re not there.
To start crafting your own personal brand, ask your current peers, ex-colleagues and bosses who they think you are as a person and a product. Draw on their contributions to compile several statements, then share again to get more feedback about the impression you’re making.
Click here for detailed tips on how to craft a personal brand statement.
Both corporate branding and personal branding are huge these days, with corporations spending millions of dollars to differentiate themselves. You should spend a significant amount of time doing your due diligence amongst your network to find your distinguishing factors.
What is your personal brand? Why would an HR professional or executive recruiter engage you over the other candidates?
Leave a Reply