Discovering your personal brand.

It feels that personal branding has become the buzzword of choice recently. Unlike other buzzwords, it’s one that’s here to stay. But what is personal branding? Do you need it? And how do you uncover your personal brand? 

 

We’ve got all the answers you need to start harnessing the power of personal branding. 

 

What is your personal brand? 

We all understand what a business brand is - it’s the colours, logos, words, voice and tone that a business puts out there to identify itself. A personal brand is the same. It’s the sum of all the parts you put out into the world - whether online or in person to promote yourself.  

 

That might be through your social media profiles, your website if you have one, the way you conduct yourself in meetings or in emails. It’s everything about your skills, personality, experience and conduct that create your unique self.  

 

Why is your personal brand important? 

From a professional standpoint it’s crucial to discover your personal brand to understand the impact you’re having. Particularly in a career such as recruitment where relationship building and networking are entwined with your success. 

 

Your personal brand is what makes you stand out from the crowd, it’s what people remember and it’s what makes you likeable, or not.  

 

When everyone in a business is exceptional the differentiating factor is their personal brand. It’s part of your credibility, your presence and your career. Without it you blend into the background and when it comes to new opportunities or promotions you have to fight to get recognition. When all other areas are tied, those with a strong personal brand will already have made the necessary impact making it easier for them to progress. 

 

How do you discover your personal brand? 

Once you understand the concept you can start to discover what your personal brand is. It’s likely that, especially online, you’ve already got the start of a personal brand but the key is to be more intentional about developing it. 

 

Here are some tips to get started: 

 

Find your why 

Start by thinking about what motivates you, what gets you out of bed in the morning and what you want to achieve. Then take a moment to reflect on what achievements and skills you’re proudest of. 

 

Identifying what drives you, what you enjoy and your goals will help guide the content and focus of your personal brand. 

 

Discover your values 

Do you know what you care about? To progress your career you need to make sure that what you care about and your values have synergy with those of your employer. That’s not to say they need to be exactly the same but there needs to be some connection.  

 

When your goals align with those of your employer or client, your work takes on a new level. 

 

Uncover your audiences 

Who are your stakeholders? Employer, colleagues, clients, past employers, friends, professional network? Understanding who is in your sphere of influence will help you take charge of how your personal brand needs to develop. 

 

Audit your current brand 

Even without trying you will have a personal brand. You need to uncover what that is. Talk to friends, colleagues, your line manager and take a look at your online presence. You need to know where your starting point is and whether you’re happy with it. 

 

 

How do you build your personal brand? 

The key to building your personal brand is visibility. You don’t have to go from being an introvert to an extrovert. It’s about being authentically visible.  

• Make sure your online presence is up-to-date and reflect your values and goals then share relevant content that you connect with.  
• Network and share your details with interesting people and then follow up. 
• Dress in a way that is you but also supports your professional goals. 
• Actions speak louder than words so make sure your actions encapsulate your values. 

 

Most of all, be aware that you have a personal brand, what it is and what you’d like it to be. Once you do that it’ll be far easier for you to be authentic and make an impact. 

 

Source Group International are on the lookout for fresh talent to join our global journey. Hardworking, determined, ready to leave the ordinary recruitment career behind? Speak to our internal talent team today to find out about our current opportunities. careers@sourcegroupinternational.com