What exactly is personal branding?
Essentially, it’s the story you create around your own professional and personal life – and the one you present when making a career change or going for a new promotion within your current company.
A personal brand story includes experience, education, soft skills, work ethos and personal achievements that, together, bring your professional story to life.
To develop your personal brand, it’s a matter of sitting down to consider, “Who are you and what do you offer that’s unique from everyone else?”
A strong personal brand for any professional can be the key factor that makes your profile stand out in a stack of CVs.
See video below if you are interested in finding out more information on ways you can ensure your personal brand is consistent, strong and compelling.
List the words you believe people use to describe you such as “reliable”, “proactive”, “focused” or “often late”, “full of excuses”, “looks at his/her phone/iPad when speaking to colleagues”. Put some thought into what is working for you and what is holding you back. Ask for feedback from a manager or mentor but be prepared to hear the truth. You cannot change a habit or behaviour if you are not prepared to see it.
We suggest you review your personal brand as honestly as you can, as an important first step to building a winning personal brand. Action items could include identifying habits you want to break or building new skills such as time management via a short course.