When was the last time you really thought about your personal brand? Last month? Last year? Never?
Contrary to popular belief, branding is not just for large companies or promising startups. As a professional in 2022, personal branding should be at the top of your priority list.
Your personal brand is all about how you present yourself to the world. Amazon founder Jeff Bezos hit the nail on the head when he said, “Your brand is what people say about you when you’re not in the room.”
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Like it or not, first impressions matter, and your personal branding can be the difference between landing your dream career or being stuck in a dead-end role.
Rather than marketing a company or product, personal branding is all about sharing your story, what drives you and what you believe in. Whether you work in engineering or economics, media or microbiology, your brand is one of the greatest assets you have. It is important that you know how to develop it and use it to your advantage. Here are some of our top ideas.
1. Take a moment to think
Your personal brand should be an honest reflection of who you are, what skills you possess and what your aspirations are. It is important that you take a moment to think about this information.
If you’re having trouble defining your brand, ask yourself the following questions:
- What is more important to me than anything else?
- What am I good at?
- What would previous colleagues say about me?
- What excites me?
It can also help to talk to your mentor, colleagues, or close friends and family. Remember that as you grow and change as a person, so will your personal brand. That is good.
2. Build a brilliant website
Now that you know what you want to say, it’s time to create a platform. Take a leaf from Oprah’s book: a TV show, a magazine, products… Everyone knows her. An online portfolio is one of the best ways to tell your own story, show potential clients or employers who you are and what you bring to the table.
A quick glance at your homepage should give a visitor an idea of ​​your work. If you don’t generate interest quickly, most visitors will leave your site in seconds. Our top tips include impeccable grammar, clean and simple layouts, and always spend money on your domain name.
3. Be Sincere on Social Media
If the thought of posting inspirational LinkedIn posts sends a shiver down your spine, that’s fine. The most important thing to remember is that your personal brand should be unique to you. That means posting with your voice, about things you really care about. The best personal brands are real and 100% authentic.
This is probably also a good time to clean up your social media feeds. Don’t forget old Twitter or Instagram accounts. If there’s something you don’t want a prospective client or employer to see, remove it now.
4. Championship Community
It’s great to have a lot of followers, but if you really want to develop your personal brand, you need to focus more on engagement. Spend time on online conversations, take the time to respond to people, and join groups or pages you’re interested in.
Never underestimate the power of a positive referral or review. Build a reputation as an engaging and active person online and you never know who might be watching.
5. Stay focused
The expression, “A jack of all trades is a master of nothing”, is very apt when it comes to personal branding. If you want to sell yourself, you need to have a clear focus and expertise. What sets you apart from everyone else?
Once you get this, you need to be consistent. It’s much easier to become a thought leader on a topic if you consistently create content and a brand voice around it. Consistency creates trust.
6. Give more than you take
Terms like personal branding or networking are often seen as calculated or unfair. But the truth is, it’s something we all unconsciously do every day. The key to having a real and lasting impact is to give more than you take when interacting with other professionals.
You have to constantly think about where you can add value. It’s easy to create content that promotes who you are, but if you can create content that is engaging, insightful and really helps your audience, then you’re really on your way to becoming a winner.
Now that you’ve got your personal branding in order, take a look at all the great job openings on the House of Talent Job Board.
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