When did you last carve out time to reflect on your personal brand? In today's evolving labor market, a well-defined personal brand is key for attracting opportunities that align with your strengths and enable you to contribute at your highest level – no matter where you are within your career. However, this is more than a catchy tagline or a curated online presence; your personal brand is a powerful tool for conveying your capabilities and attracting opportunities that both energize you and bring you satisfaction in your role.
Why should I care about my personal brand?
Even if you haven’t formally defined your personal brand, you DO have one. It exists as the collection of behaviors, impressions and experiences you have been creating all your life. Taking a proactive approach to ensure your brand aligns with your aspirations and strengths, while working on effectively communicating your brand to others, can make a substantial impact on your career:
- Your personal brand establishes your reputation in the minds of others.
- It forms a clear perception of value, showing others what you bring to the table that’s unique, important and relevant.
- It creates consistent expectations, which helps align your objectives and improves your ability to succeed.
- Perhaps most importantly, it positions you to attract opportunities that are best suited to your greatest strengths.
How do I create a personal brand statement?
Whether you have an existing brand statement or if you are starting from scratch, being able to clearly convey your strengths is essential. Here are a few steps for crafting a personal brand statement that represents you authentically and accurately.
Identify your strengths.
Your strengths comprise the foundation of your personal brand, making it important to first uncover and define these areas. I recommend StrengthsFinder 2.0 for those who really want to dig deep into understanding the areas where they naturally excel. However, you can also begin to uncover these in a more informal way by considering past professional feedback, as well as by asking friends and colleagues about the words that come to mind when they hear your name.
Create your personal brand statement.
Once you've identified your key strengths, it's time to craft your personal brand statement. I’ve found this simple formula provides an excellent starting point for most professionals:
- Start with a basic statement (I + verb + noun). For example, "I drive results."
- Add one or two of your personal strengths. For example, "I use my analytical thinking and determination to drive results," or "I drive results through innovation and execution."
- Add qualifiers (adjectives and adverbs). For example, "I use my analytical thinking and determination to consistently drive measurable results," or "I drive impactful results through creative innovation and timely"
- Continue to experiment and refine.
Ensure your brand is reflected in a consistent way.
Further build your personal brand by ensuring it is consistently represented across in-person interactions and virtual environments:
Revisit your LinkedIn profile and resume or professional bio with fresh eyes. Do they clearly communicate your unique strengths?
Pay attention to your communication style and how you show up – in meetings, emails and presentations. Is it aligned with the brand you’re aiming to convey?
Seek out projects and responsibilities that showcase your strengths, allowing you to further demonstrate your unique value proposition.
Practice sharing your personal brand statement in conversations to help it feel natural to you.
By effectively communicating your natural talents through a personal brand statement, you’ll be positioned to contribute at your highest level both in current and future roles. However, it’s important to also remember your brand isn't built simply by what you say; it's demonstrated through consistent actions that align with your unique value. Invest the time in understanding, cultivating and articulating your strengths to attract the right opportunities, build stronger relationships, and make the greatest impact throughout your professional journey.