The importance of creating your own personal brand
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For many people, a “brand” is a make of product or the image of a company and few consider how the term also reflects on themselves. In an ever-competitive talent pool, the ability to stand out from the crowd becomes a challenge…yet when we create a personal brand, we get noticed and remembered by both our peers and our managers, not forgetting customers.
While for some this may not sit comfortably, as it suggests that we are just a commodity, you have to ask yourself:
- How do you want to be remembered?
- What makes you stand out from the crowd?
- What are your values and ethos?
- Where are you going and how?
Where do you start? To build a strong brand foundation, start by listing all of the skills that you possess…in essence, these are your branding assets. Think of the many life skills that you will also have developed over time. Qualifications should also be part of this.
What areas of business and which sectors are you most interested in? What really makes you passionate?
What are your core values and beliefs? What do you believe in? What do you stand for? When people talk of you, how do they picture you?
Once you have considered these areas, then start to plan your “personal brand.”
What is your brand vision? What do you want to be known for? What is your mission? What do you want to achieve and what has to happen to make that a reality? What is your message? How will you stand out from the crowd? What is your brand image? These are your personal characteristics and how you are remembered.
In an increasingly competitive world and in the UK, with unemployment running low, it becomes ever more important to stand out from the crowd, but to do that you have to work out who you are, what you are, and where you are going…only you, can truly market yourself!
“Your brand is a gateway to your true work”
Dave Buck