Everyone knows what the term “brand” means, but what is a “personal brand”, really? Well, quite simply: it’s the performance, contributions and value that your next employer can expect from you. It marks your career reputation and has far-reaching effects with regards to your job search. In short, your personal branding represents you, as a professional. If you want to learn just why it’s so important, read on!

Standing apart

The number one benefit of branding is outlined in the fact that it works as the “great differentiator”. In other words, it allows you to clearly stand apart and above others, who are competing for the job position you’re looking for. Personal branding will generate interest for you and ultimately make it much more likely for you to land interviews.
Self-branding means showcasing your personal brand attributes in the resume – from vitality, unique value, strength of character, to all other passions about your work. This will, in turn, create chemistry between you and the reader and add bonus points for your job qualification.

Being unique

It is important that you make sure that your personal brand is very specific; so specific that no one can possibly claim the exact same brand as yours. This requires digging deep and formulating all qualities that set you apart from others in the same line of work.
However, even if you think that you are completely aware of all your strengths and weaknesses, you can rest assured that you are nowhere near this point. Just as your friends and family can tell you all about what kind of a person you are, your peers and co-workers will be able to give you feedback about your work performance and strengths. As a rule of thumb, a measure of your brand is what people who work with you have to say about you, which is exactly what makes you unique!

The more you love your work…

…the easier it will be for you to do personal branding. Sit down, take some time and contemplate about what it is exactly that you love about your work. If you get stuck, make a list of a couple of things that drive the passions behind your profession – this can do wonders for your branding, as all that your potential employers want to read about is how dedicated and passionate you are concerning your area of expertise! Nothing sells better than ambition and passion!

Owning a personal website

It is important that every serious company has a website of its own, and the fact of the matter is, they usually do. However, personal websites are quite rare, unless you happen to be running a business by yourself. Because of that, you should aim at owning your very own internet presentation. You can browse for cheap domains online, even if you’re miles away from making a personal website, just so that you make sure that someone doesn’t take your NameSurname.com domain!

It's a leadership requirement

…not only a self-promotion campaign. Developing your very own personal brand is crucial for the advancement of your career, as well as your development as a leader. Unfortunately, the very term “personal branding” has lost a part of its meaning, with many people using social media as a platform to build their personal brand and, in this way, increase their relevance, wrongfully believing that social media immediately skyrockets people’s market value! Make sure that you realize that self-branding is not a self-promotion campaign, but rather a leadership requirement.

Personal branding is not a common thing on today’s market and this is exactly why you should seize this opportunity! Stand apart, learn what you love about your work and don’t disregard the importance of owning a personal website.