When you hear the term personal branding, you may think about influencers or big-time entrepreneurs and CEOs. However, personal branding applies to anyone looking to stand out from the crowd. It’s how your colleagues and the public perceive you and about what you say without even speaking a word. The fact is, having a strong personal brand is an understated and crucial element to being successful in your personal and professional life.
Say there’s a position available in your department that’s sure to be a major promotion for you. When the people in the corner offices look for an internal hire (which they often do), and your personal brand emanates strong leadership skills, how much more likely do you think you are to get the job? In this article, we’ll be diving into the finer details of personal branding, how to fine-tune yours, and how it can catapult your professional career into the skies of success!
What Makes Up a Strong Personal Brand?
If you think about creating your personal brand, the first thing you need to understand is that there’s no copy-and-paste solution here. It’s like creating a recipe that works for you and you alone, resulting in a professional DNA that’s unique and beautiful. With that being said, there are a few pointers you can look at to ensure you check all the boxes. This is to ensure jobseekers and colleagues can get the whole picture of who you are and how you can make their companies all the better.
Authenticity
This is probably the most important thing to think about. Anybody can sniff insincerity out, and fake never sits well with anyone. Luckily, what you have to offer work-wise and personality-wise is probably already brilliant in and of itself, so why change it just to fit the mold? The point is standing out anyway! Start with introspection and think about what your values are. What drives you? Let these answers guide your personal and professional interactions. Remember, authenticity isn’t about being perfect, but being genuine.
Expertise
Everybody’s got a superpower. So, what’s yours? This is probably a bit easier to get sorted, because you’re already working in a specific field. But try to really get into the nitty-gritty of your profession. For example, if you’re into developing, which coding languages have you got down? Or if you’re a digital marketing specialist, which disciplines do you shine in? The goal is to be the go-to person in your field so that when people think of your area of expertise, your name should pop up in their minds like a friendly jack-in-the-box.
Online Presence
It’s 2024, which means that an online presence is almost like a rite of passage in many industries, especially creative ones. And, when applying for jobs, a simple Google search from recruiters can instantly give them a very clear first impression of who you are, so you want to make sure that what they see wows. To start, focus on LinkedIn, which is every recruiter and professional out there’s playground. Give some love to your profile and pay special attention to your About section, ensuring it’s filled with some juicy keywords recruiters may use when searching for candidates similar to you. Afterward, branch out to the other platforms, and make sure you’re consistent across all of them.
Personal Brand Building Strategies for Managers
If you’re a manager, you’re not just overseeing big projects and delegating tasks but representing the entire team. So when it comes to building your personal brand, it’s all about giving energy of trust, leadership, and specialized skills. You have to be the shining light in the pit of endless briefs for your team, guiding them to victory and beyond. But how do you fill these enormous shoes through a personal brand? Let’s get into it.
Be the Kind of Leader You’d Follow
You might think that checking this box will require you to don a red cape and spanks and rock a power stance all day, but it’s not. Building a leadership brand involves embodying all the characteristics of an effective leader every day. You have to walk the walk and talk the talk. Try asking yourself, “What kind of leader do I aspire to be?” and “How do I want my team to perceive me?” Your answers should paint a picture of your leadership brand in a perfect world. And remember, a true leader’s brand doesn’t just mean leading from the front, it’s about lifting others as you climb.
Networking
Any manager, or even aspiring manager, has to network to create those valuable connections. And in the professional world, your network is your net worth. It may seem superficial, but it’s the way of the world, and who you know matters. Sure, this may seem a bit intimidating, and the thought of putting yourself out there can feel overwhelming, especially for introverts. But you can start small. Maybe attend some industry events or conferences to kick things off and go from there.
You could even take it one step back and get in on some digital action by participating in online forums. But at the end of the day, collecting business cards is essential, and you have to forge some genuine connections that will last even when everyone’s gone home. Be the one that offers real value and makes some sense so that when people think about you, they don’t just see a job title but a generosity and authenticity that’s hard to come by. If you can do that, you’re all set.
Share Insights
You probably have a lot of wisdom relating to your field, so share it with the world! See yourself as a lighthouse in the choppy waters of the corporate struggle. If this feels like a tough ask though, start small, like with your team. Instead of just pointing out their errors, try and explain the reasoning behind why the work isn’t correct and show them how you would’ve done it, maybe even throw some tricks of the trade in there while you’re at it. You don’t have to reinvent the wheel with every piece of knowledge you share. Sometimes, offering a new perspective on existing ideas can be just as impactful.
The Bottom Line
Building a personal brand takes time, but it’s worth it. It transcends your conversations and interactions and reaches far beyond the rest of the community. So make sure that what you put out there is what you want to be known for, and try to embody that message in your actions every single day because that’s where true leadership and authenticity show its face. Anyone can call themselves a manager, an executive, or even a leader. However, being known as the person who gets things done and encourages everyone around you is an accomplishment in and of its own.
Your personal brand is much more than a polished online profile or a long and boring list of all your achievements. Think of it as a personal biography of your professional journey that encapsulates your values, aspirations, and the weird and wonderful flair you bring to the management table. At the end of the day, you are the sculptor and the masterpiece, so sculpt carefully and gently because your brand will be remembered long after you’ve left the building, and if done right, will probably inspire many more for years to come.
