Building a Personal Brand

Searching for a job is an attempt at marketing yourself. Think of yourself as a product you aim to promote and your skills and experience as the reason someone needs to buy that product. Analogies aside, building an impactful resume means branding yourself and marketing it to the right audience.

Use the correct tone: Like any other piece of writing, a resume’s tone is crucial to the way it is received. The best way to improve the tone of your resume is by using active verbs when describing past roles to allow the reader to conceptualize the past responsibilities you have held. This creates a positive connotation surrounding your work and will create a positive personal brand.

What to highlight: Highlight what you truly thrive at. In other words, let your work do the talking rather than falsely overrepresenting skills that you do not possess. For example, if you successfully managed a large campaign or if your work increased brand engagement, highlight these successes. Being your own champion is crucial in creating a personal brand.

Highlight the KPIs and accomplishments that are quantifiable. Be specific and avoid using generalities. For example, if you worked on a social media campaign, be specific in the % growth, open-rate, or followers you gained.

Stand out from the crowd: Rule one for personal branding is choosing a niche that fosters interest. Yes, we have many talents, all of which could be mentioned. However, creating a personal brand that is memorable rests on having a specific focus. What is ‘your thing’? What makes you unique? What do you value in life and in work? Answering these questions is a great start to creating your personal brand.

Keep up your social media presence: Working in a globalized world requires acknowledging the impact of a positive social media presence on career prospects. Manage your LinkedIn, Instagram or other influential platforms to foster your personal brand and build a network of like-minded individuals and connecting with a target audience. Be mindful to keep private information private.

The right position is one that reflects who you are and what you value. Therefore, building a personal brand is not only about promoting your abilities, but also about finding a company or position that matches both your career goals and your aspirations.