What does your Personal Brand mean for your job search?
Your personal branding commences with not only where you’ve worked but also your skills and experience. It includes your career aspirations and industry and your social involvement. Your personal branding combines your resume and goals and how you present them.
What would you like to be known as?
Developing your personal branding essentially is establishing a reputation that you’ll then market. Deciding whom you want to be known as, is the first step in creating your personal brand. Think adjectives. Hardworking? Approachable? Dependable? Inventive? Adaptable? The clearer you are on who you want to be known as, the stronger your personal brand will be, and the more you’ll intrigue hiring managers.
How do you view yourself?
Do others view you the same way? Personal branding is the art and science of working to make these two perceptions line up. So you need a clear understanding of how others view you to help refine and optimise your brand. Ask yourself: What do co-workers want your advice on? What positive feedback have you received in performance reviews? Is any of the feedback not aligning with the self-image you want to present? If so, you can adjust and improve your performance, until the outside perceptions align with what you want to be known for.
Forward Planning
Remember, your personal branding is part of the ongoing process of achieving your goals. If you want to be a CEO, you can cultivate a personal brand that presents you as a leader. Someone who sees the big picture. Whenever you’re searching for your next job or promotion, you can use that personal branding when writing your cover letters and answering interview questions. You’ll come off as the CEO long before it’s time to apply for senior roles.
How important is your online Personal Brand?
You’ve decided how you want your personal brand to be and are convinced what you want to be known for, now it’s time to make it part of your daily actions. Present yourself by practicing to be this brand. Bring it to life and convince others of it. This includes your online presence. Make sure it matches especially on LinkedIn as it is the top social media site for job searches and it is where recruiters and hiring managers go to source potential candidates.
