What Is a Personal Brand?
Your personal brand is the professional reputation that precedes you. It is the sum of what people say about you when you are not in the room. Whether you actively manage it or not, you already have a personal brand shaped by your work, your online presence, and how others experience interacting with you. Taking deliberate control of your personal brand ensures that the message you send aligns with the career you want.
Key Elements of a Personal Brand
Your expertise: The specific skills and knowledge areas where you are recognized as particularly strong. Your values: The principles that guide your professional decisions and work style. Your story: The narrative that connects your career journey in a compelling and coherent way. Your visibility: How and where you show up, whether through LinkedIn content, speaking engagements, published work, or industry participation.
How to Build Your Personal Brand
- Define your niche. Trying to be known for everything dilutes your brand. Identify two or three areas where you want to be recognized as an authority.
- Create content that showcases your expertise, such as LinkedIn posts, blog articles, or conference presentations.
- Be consistent across all platforms. Your LinkedIn, resume, portfolio, and in-person presence should tell the same story.
- Seek testimonials and recommendations that reinforce the qualities you want to be known for.
- Audit your online presence by searching your name and reviewing what comes up.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Inauthenticity is the biggest risk. A personal brand that does not reflect who you really are is unsustainable and will erode trust. Another common mistake is inconsistency, such as presenting yourself as a creative thinker on LinkedIn while your resume reads as rigid and formulaic.
