Get a Head Start on Personal Branding

Building your personal brand takes work, but it will boost your reputation and position yourself well in your chosen professional field.

Personal branding is not about erasing who you are and creating a new identity! Essentially, it is about highlighting your true strengths and representing a distinct professional reputation for yourself. A good personal brand encapsulates at least three things: your career objectives, your values, and your goals in life.

It may seem daunting to have to think about defining your personal branding when you have barely started your career. However, there is no timeline for this. A personal brand is a lifelong investment that follows you throughout your career. So it is important to get started on building that professional reputation as early as you can.

Define yourself

Before figuring out how to define yourself, look through your social media accounts and evaluate if your posts, images and content are aligned with the personal brand you wish to project.

As your posts have no set expiry dates, there is always a slight chance a potential employer can come across an unflattering picture, embarrassing post or unwanted comment that you posted years ago. Take the time to carry out intense “housekeeping” for all your social media platforms or at least hide them from public view. Then take some time to be introspective, and create a list of your strengths and weaknesses. Feel free to ask your friends and family members for their inputs. Consider asking yourself the following questions:

What kind of job can make me happy? Will I take a job that can pay me better than a job that aligns with my values and interests? What characteristics have others complimented me on? Do I feel happier working in a corporate environment or in a start-up? Do I see myself as an entrepreneur?

Once you are aware of what motivates you when it comes to your working life, then you can decide how best to proceed with your personal branding.

Showcase your talents and interests

Your hobbies and interests do not have to be pushed to the background as just something you do occasionally in your spare time. They can be a key part of your personal brand as well.

As you are defining your brand, consider your talents and interests. They are part of what makes you unique, so look at developing them if you are interested in using them during your career journey. For instance, if you’re keen on drawing, why not take up classes or join art circles? Those skills may come in handy when you need to design a product or visualise a new branding campaign at work.

Mix the personal and professional

You do not have to treat your personal and professional selves as two different people when thinking of your personal brand. It helps to mix your personal and professional lives in order to communicate with potential recruiters and employers. After all, we are all human and we seek connections with other living, breathing humans too.

Feel free to emphasise causes or issues that are truly of personal interest to you, or to talk and write about things that you value. That said, the rule of thumb here is to keep things positive! No one likes to hang around someone who is always complaining or tearing others down. Keep things optimistic, but also honest and pragmatic too.

Choose a role model to help you live your brand

What better way to strive to be successful than to follow in the steps of someone who already is? Similarly, if you are looking to develop your personal brand, choose a business leader or famous figure with strong branding and start mirroring them.

We are not suggesting you slavishly mimic your role models entirely, of course! Your goal here is to observe how they brand themselves and what they stand for and to see if you can take any cues from there. For example, if your role model is Jack Ma, ask yourself what you admire about him: His work ethic? His resilience and never-say-die spirit? Then see how you can incorporate those elements into your own personal branding efforts.

Recognise your achievements and legacy

Life is not about the destination, but the journey. Take time to celebrate your successes by marking the milestones you have achieved through childhood to adulthood. Reflect on the times you have won competitions, demonstrated your leadership qualities, or hosted events in school or university and feel proud of your achievements.

Awards also serve as physical reminders of the skills and knowledge you have built in areas of choice and have the potential to show you which career paths you should consider embarking on. Additionally, they can even point to your discipline and tenacity and become a strong part of your legacy when it comes to developing your personal brand.