Is Your Brand Boosting Your Career?

If you haven’t thought much about your personal brand, now is the time.

 

Neglecting your personal brand can hold you back in your career and hinder your job search if you’re in the market for a new job.

 

By investing a bit of energy into intentionally developing your personal brand you’ll reach your career goals much faster and get access to unique opportunities.

 

In this article, I will walk you through how to design your brand, how to communicate it, and how to grow your brand to further your career.

 

 

Why branding is more important than ever

Your personal brand is at the heart of your career strategy. It’s the foundation for everything in a job search and career progression.

 

When you’re job searching or being considered for a promotion, a strong personal brand helps to differentiate you from other candidates.

 

Your network is one of your most valuable career assets, and your brand plays a big part in how valuable your network becomes. As you develop your brand, it will help you expand your network because people want to connect with people who they perceive to have a good brand.

 

Over time, a well-developed brand brings opportunities to you. For instance, imagine never having to update your resume or apply for a job again… That’s what your brand has the potential to do for you and so much more.

 

Here are two real examples:

1. As a young consultant at a software startup (Apptio), I focused on developing my brand within the company. I wanted to be known as an achiever who could be handed a challenging project and be depended on to deliver it above expectations. After a while, I became the go-to person for the hard projects. Not only did my brand help me get promoted and earn more while at the company, but it led me to an incredible opportunity that would take my career to the next level. One of my colleagues had left the company to join another software startup as an executive. He called me and offered me my first Director-level job, which would change the course of my career for the better. And I never had to update my resume.
2. Clarice was a loan officer looking to make a career pivot. She wanted to earn more and have fulfillment from her work, and being a loan officer wasn’t doing it for her. So, she put intention into developing her brand (using some of the steps I’ll cover in this article), and when she was looking for a job, she didn’t even have to apply… A hiring manager found her on LinkedIn, set up a meeting with her, and eventually hired her. She went from earning $90K to earning $180K. The lesson here is that brand visibility matters more than just qualifications.

 

How do you design & establish your personal brand?

The first step in building a personal brand is to define your brand identity.

 

This includes identifying the values, skills, and experiences that make you unique and deliver value to the world around you.

 

Start by asking yourself, “How do I want others to see me?”

 

To get started, we can use a simple 3x3x3 framework.

 

Create a list of the following:

• 3 Skills or areas of expertise that you want to be known for

• 3 Core strengths (that you can take with you to any profession)

• 3 Core values (how you get your work done)

 

Here’s an example of a Brand 3x3x3:

 

Now, ask yourself the one important question, “Why do I do what I do?”

 

This is important because people want to know your ‘Why,’ what motivates and drives you. Your ‘Why’ is entirely unique to you.

 

During interviews, the question "What motivates you?" is frequently asked. Being able to clearly express your "Why" can leave a lasting impression.

 

Example ‘Why’: I want to work on complex projects that not only help me grow my skill set but also make a positive impact on people. I’m deeply motivated by helping mission-driven businesses broaden their impact through developing and distributing innovative technology.

My ‘Why’: I want people to reach their potential, feel energized, and wildly fulfilled at work so they can make the impact they are meant to make.

 

Communicating your Brand using your Personal Value Summary

Now that you’ve defined what you want your brand to be, you’ll need to communicate it in context. That’s where the Personal Value Summary (PVS) comes in.

 

 

The PVS helps you translate your personal brand into your LinkedIn profile and your resume.

 

Most importantly, it allows you to convey your unique value and make a strong impression when interviewing or networking throughout your career.

 

I’ve covered the Personal Value Summary in a previous article - read it to learn how to create your PVS.

 

Elevating your brand

Now that you’ve defined your brand - it’s time to take steps to elevate it because that’s where the magic happens.

 

It’s the step that will open doors for you throughout your career and bring you opportunities you could never have imagined.

 

In today's digital age, having a strong online presence is essential to building a personal brand.

 

The good news is that it’s easier than ever to leverage various online platforms to cultivate your brand.

 

4 major ways to build your professional brand

 

1. Professional Website / Portfolio

Creating a professional website or portfolio to showcase your work and achievements is a great way to develop your brand. Your website should include your brand message, projects, and work examples substantiating your skills. You’re in full control of what is displayed, allowing you to highlight the core skills, strengths, and values that you want to be known for.

 

Not many people take this step, allowing it to differentiate you from other professionals. A website or portfolio isn’t just for designers and photographers. We’ve helped Sales Reps, Sales Engineers, Customer Success Managers, Data Analysts, and many other types of professionals create and leverage portfolios to grow their brands, get noticed by employers, and advance their careers.

 

2. Creating and Sharing Content

One of the best ways to develop your brand is through creating content that makes you visible and communicates your brand to the world.

 

Here are a few ideas for how you can go about it:

 

→ Thought Leadership 

You can demonstrate thought leadership by posting about topics you have expertise in on social platforms such as LinkedIn and Medium.

 

What should you post about? Here are a few easy topics to get you started:

• Your career journey
• What you’re learning about (e.g. summarize a book or article you read, adding your perspective)
• Recent achievements
  • Completed a training course
  • Received a certificate
• Life experiences
• Cheer on others!
• Anything else top of mind!

This is an example of Tamara doing a fun post translating her skills as a mom into a Solutions Engineer role. 

 

Another way you could demonstrate thought leadership is by creating a presentation about a relevant topic and recording a video of it. For example, if you’re a Sales rep, create a presentation about a recent sales methodology you learned, or about a technology that you’re interested. Showcase the recording on your portfolio and LinkedIn profile (featured section). This is a great way to demonstrate your knowledge of a subject and presentation skills.

 

→ Teach Others

Teaching is a perfect way to build your brand because you share your knowledge with others.

 

Consider running a training session with a small group of people on a topic that you’re familiar with. It could be something you learned recently. The added benefit is that you learn better through teaching!

 

For example, if you’re an expert Product Manager, teach people how to do better customer research or document product requirements better.

 

To find people to teach on LinkedIn or in various online communities related to your profession.

 

→ Evidence

Showing evidence of your skills, strengths, and values is important for your brand and especially important when you’re looking for a new job.

 

Hiring managers love seeing individuals who are constantly developing themselves through continued learning.

 

As an example, you could write LinkedIn posts about courses you’ve completed or certifications you’ve earned, sharing what you’ve learned and why it’s relevant to your goals.

 

Or share stories about what you’ve learned through conversations with other professionals in your industry.

 

3. LinkedIn Profile

Your LinkedIn profile is core to your personal brand. It’s usually the first thing about you that recruiters, hiring managers, and new network connections will see. To elevate your LinkedIn profile beyond a mere digital resume, focus on strategically showcasing your skills, strengths, and values. Sharing your ‘Why’ will make your profile especially unique and separate you from every other LinkedIn profile.

 

4. Network and build relationships

Cultivating a strong personal brand is closely tied to effective networking and relationship-building.

 

And a well-nurtured network serves as a powerful asset, offering opportunities for collaboration, career advancement, and exposure.

 

Leverage LinkedIn for strategic networking, set up ‘virtual coffee chats,’ and engage in meaningful conversations.

 

But remember, networking is not merely about collecting connections but about building genuine relationships.

 

It’s important to think about your brand in how you show up in every networking conversation that you have.

• Good conversations lead to referrals, connections, network expansion
• Bad conversations result in damage to your reputation and moving backward in your job search or in your career

 

Be proactive in building relationships with others, and be sure to follow up with them regularly.

 

Your network becomes an extension of the personal brand, amplifying its impact professionally and personally. Investing energy in your network is energy well spent.

 

Summary

Building a strong personal brand is essential to standing out in today's competitive job market and advancing in your career. By defining your brand identity, developing a brand message, building your online presence, establishing thought leadership, and networking, you can create a personal brand that reflects your values and skills and helps you achieve your career goals.

 

Remember to be consistent and authentic in your brand messaging and to continue to evolve and adapt your personal brand as your career progresses.

 

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