Create a personal brand for promotion and raise success.
Create a personal brand for promotion and raise success.
Building Your Personal Brand: Key to Career Success
When your managers and their managers gather behind closed doors, your success at work may depend on more than just your skills and accomplishments. In these crucial moments, your personal brand becomes integral to securing promotions and unique opportunities that may have otherwise been overlooked. Building the right personal brand can position you as a standout candidate, capturing the attention and favor of decision-makers.
Kathy Gersch, the Chief Commercial Officer of business strategy firm Kotter, defines personal brand as “how you portray yourself and your work. It encompasses every interaction, from written communication on social media platforms like LinkedIn and emails, to how you carry yourself in person and the reputation you have built.” Having a coherent and intentional personal brand is essential because it provides decision-makers with a clear image and understanding of who you are and what you bring to the table.
The Difference Between Reputation and Personal Brand
While reputation is important, it is more amorphous and less credible when it comes to career advancement. A positive reputation may be based on general traits like being friendly, but a personal brand goes beyond that. It involves strategically incorporating your core values and positive qualities into all aspects of your work. It demonstrates to higher-ups that you consistently and purposefully commit to specific work values, making you more reliable in their eyes.
The concept of personal branding combines networking, self-promotion, and ambition. It has evolved in the internet age where individuals are encouraged to become their own brands. Just like social media influencers and online thought leaders, molding yourself into a brand and packaging your skills and qualities as a unique offering is now seen as the path to success.
To build your personal professional brand, begin by reflecting on the principles you want to highlight in the workplace. Identify the positive traits you want to be known for such as productivity, collaboration, leadership, or any other qualities that resonate with you. Be authentic because people can see through insincerity. Understand your core values, strengths, and what sets you apart from others. Once you have a clear idea of your brand identity, find ways to consistently highlight these principles in all your workplace interactions.
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Establishing Your Brand Presence
Building a personal brand requires both effort and increased visibility within your company. Make an extra effort to build relationships beyond your standard chain of command. Connect with colleagues across different departments, demonstrate the value you bring, and be proactive in sharing your capabilities and expertise.
According to Laurie Ruettimann, author of “Betting on You: How to Put Yourself First and (Finally) Take Control of Your Career,” it’s important to identify and prioritize the qualities that have received positive feedback from managers and colleagues. Collect positive comments and reviews to gain a better understanding of your best work qualities. However, don’t rely solely on past comments; gather feedback from your colleagues and higher-ups to understand what’s currently working and how you can increase your impact within the organization. Use this information as a solid foundation for your personal brand.
The Art of Humble Bragging
Advocating for yourself and owning your accomplishments are essential for career growth. However, it can be uncomfortable for some people, while others may come across as insufferable when boasting about their achievements. The key is to share your accomplishments in a way that aligns them with the organization’s goals and success.
Rather than directly showcasing your talents, demonstrate how your contributions have helped the team and brought the organization closer to its objectives. Speak about specific problems you’ve solved and the unique skill set you utilized, emphasizing your role in driving success. This approach allows you to show your value without sounding arrogant or self-absorbed.
While humble bragging can be challenging, it is critical to share your achievements. People need to understand the full scope of your skills and the value you bring to the organization. By being intentional about sharing this information in a productive manner, you ensure that your contributions are recognized and appreciated.
Going the Extra Mile
Beyond your day-to-day tasks, there are additional opportunities to strengthen your personal brand. Social media, especially LinkedIn, can help you build a cohesive image and reach a wider professional audience. It’s important to have continuity between your public-facing pages and your authentic self. Social media accounts should accurately reflect your core values and align with the professional image you want to portray.
According to Gersch, your personal brand extends beyond your professional life. It encompasses all your actions and statements, whether explicitly connected to work or not. Therefore, it’s crucial to invest time in events outside of work as well. Participating in weekend company hangouts and volunteering for new initiatives showcase your self-starting mentality and allow you to demonstrate skills that might not always be evident in your day-to-day tasks.
Promoting yourself through a personal brand is about putting your best qualities on display. Identify these qualities, make them noticeably useful to decision-makers, and ensure that your personal brand remains consistent across various aspects of your life. By doing so, you can maximize your career opportunities and pave the way for success.
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