Do you know anybody who has never had to apply for a job? Someone who attracts the right opportunities at the right time without having to go out and search for them? I have the good fortune of being one of those people. I realized that this is because I have always had a Personal Brand, which then attracted the projects, new clients, or jobs that took me to the next phase of my career.

Having a strong Personal Brand allows you to attract opportunities instead of having to chase after them. If you feel you don't have a strong Personal Brand, or one that reflects who you are, you may want to consider developing yours.

But first, what is a Personal Brand?

What is a Personal Brand?

Your Personal Brand is simply how people perceive you. The interesting part is that people do not always perceive you accurately. And you may be surprised to learn that your Personal Brand already exists, whether you have actively developed it or not.

Although your Personal Brand should reflect your accomplishments and abilities, often it only reflects what you show the world. A person who is very sociable and always joking around might not be taken seriously despite being a brilliant lawyer. A skillful program manager who never speaks up in a meeting might be thought of as just mediocre.

The good news is you can take control of how you are perceived and make sure your most important skills and accomplishments are clearly visible to your colleagues.

            “Personal branding is about managing your name- even if you don’t own a business- in a world full of misinformation, disinformation, and semi-permanent Google records.” - Tim Ferriss, Entrepreneur/ Author.

Why is Personal Branding Important?

So many people are vying for their place on the corporate ladder, it takes more than just keeping your head down and doing a good job to stand out. By making sure you telegraph your skills and talents through the way you interact with others, speak during meetings, or communicate through text and email, people will start to recognize and acknowledge your accomplishments.

As your reputation for certain skills grows stronger, others will start to turn to you when they need your expertise. Thus begins the positive feedback loop! When people recognize your expertise, your confidence increases; when your confidence increases, others are attracted to your success.

People or companies you may not even know of will begin to hear of your reputation, and you become someone whose work is sought after. Then, when an opportunity opens up for a project or promotion that requires the skills you are recognised as having, your chances of getting it are much higher.

In addition, the more well-known your brand is, the higher the chance you will be offered the most interesting projects. Clients will start looking for you rather than you having to chase after clients. Your opportunities will widen, and give you better choices for the direction you wish to take with your career.

Personal Branding Means Being Authentic

The key to Personal Branding is knowing yourself, and which of your skills and qualities are the ones that best define you. Personal Branding is NOT trying to be someone who you are not, just because you think it will help you get ahead. It is important that you always act with honesty, do your best work, and be proud of what you have accomplished. When you are happy with your work, you have every right to expect others to notice and give you the recognition you deserve.

The crucial first step is to discover your unique, genuine skills, both hard and soft, and live them proudly. It also allows you to make your mark in your career by being exactly you, which is much easier and more productive than trying to be someone who you are not. Being inauthentic can be incredibly exhausting, and drain energy from the tasks that you care about the most.

“Without sense of purpose and clear direction of your life, you will only be building a fake brand of you.” - Bernard Kelvin Clive, Author/Speaker/Trainer/Lecturer

Your Brand Also Speaks to your "Why".

A Personal Brand also helps others understand why you do what you do, not just what you do. Your passion for your work can often inspire those around you to trust you. When an employer understands that your work is important to you, and you are doing it because you believe in it and want to do it, they understand that you are motivated to do a good job for your own personal satisfaction.

“When your ‘why’ is clear and greater than yourself, it will attract other people and resources to support it.” - Sheila Holt, Author of Trust is the New Currency.

What is the result of developing a strong personal brand?

Having a strong personal brand creates a self-reinforcing cycle of confidence and reputation-building. As you make sure you are known for your skills and talents by how you communicate with others, whether in meetings, written correspondence, or one-on-one interactions, you develop your confidence. As people start to feel your confidence and recognize your skills, you become a coveted resource, and your expertise becomes sought after.

Your Personal Brand now reflects your talents and accomplishments, making it easier to reach the career milestones you seek, while creating positive energy and reducing your stress along the way.

If you feel you need to develop your Personal Brand, take a look at my coaching services, as well as the Personal Branding Workshop that I offer – and make sure people see you for who you are!

            “Life naturally reorganizes itself when we are true to ourselves and everything can fall into its right place.” - Maria Erving, Transformational Truth Teacher