"We are CEOs of our own companies: Me Inc..." – Tom Peters, Fast Company.
Building a personal brand is a never-ending process. The more you grow and meet new people, the more important it is to build a personal brand.
A personal brand is not your CV or cover letter that’s updated once a year or whenever it’s needed, it’s what you are each and every day. It’s the first impression you leave with new acquaintances. Branding is all about showing the world what makes you, you. It is like a good commercial. An original unique personal brand gets you real networks and friends.
So why should you start focusing more on building your personal brand?
It builds a good reputation
A successful job search is all about differentiation. When you clearly stand out from the competition you generate more interest and are much more likely to land an interview. Personal branding can make this happen. Your personal brand is a vivid indication of the best you have to offer in terms of performance, contribution, and values your next employer can expect from you. The brand you communicate marks your career reputation and is in some respect a promise to what you can deliver. No one else can claim the same exact brand as you.
Success and branding go hand in hand.
The more appealing your brand is the more successful you become. This can either be in your business or in your job search. The boost in image and direction opens up doors and creates new exciting opportunities which you could be blind to if not for your brand.
This means that a great brand can build up a great business or even skyrocket your career. The reverse is also applicable. A great business or career can be a great way to boost up your brand in the industry.
It will boost your Confidence.
A good employee is one that can confidently, diligently and accurately perform their work. The process of branding helps you to know yourself. You get to understand your weakness and how to work on them but best of all you get to show off on your strengths. It gives you direction for you career. As your brand improves and success becomes within reach your standards and quality also improves. It will reach a certain point where employers will start looking for you and not the other way round gives you certain kind of power and confidence.
These are just three of the many advantages that comes with a well-thought out, natural personal brand. As a young person just starting out in your career path, the process of personal branding in itself is so important as it gets you to truly define who you are, what you do and what you stand for in life.
“All of us need to understand the importance of branding. We are CEOs of our own companies: Me Inc. To be in business today, our most important job is to be head marketer for the brand called You.”
– Tom Peters, Fast Company.
This article was first published on CampusBiz, the leading career platform for students and recent graduates in Kenya.
