Personal Branding: Why is it important for a successful career?
Branding is everything. It is so important that people are paying a ridiculous amount of money to have a logo on a t-shirt that’s technically not much different than the one you get from the cheap clothing store in your local mall. A brand stands for the unity of values that the business represents. If the message is conveyed properly, we as customers, are ready to pay a huge price to prove that our values are what this brand stands for.
A company with a strong brand ensures its recognizability. Think of "swoosh". Or, think of a fruit with a bite taken out of it. Or perhaps, think of a bunny with a bowtie. Chances are that you already know what brands I am talking about. With just a quick thought, you have painted a clear mental picture and associated a symbol with a feeling. Then, subconsciously, a feeling with a mega-corporation. A strong brand differentiates the product or the company from the competition creates loyalty, and associates with the customer’s worldview.
Rules by which we play
Branding is all-present. And it does not leave professionals out of the equation. Inevitably, we are willingly or unwillingly playing by the same rules. If you think about it, we as individuals are waging the same wars as companies trying to build trust with customers. But this time, we are in the role of the ones that sell. Whether we're trying to start a business, grow a community, or find a good job, a good personal brand will make us stand out from the competition. It will make us recognizable. A strong personal brand will easily convey the trustworthiness of our character and stand as a complementary purpose to whatever service we offer. It makes us more appealing to whoever we are communicating with.
Now, you might argue. What about my skills? I should get the job if my skills and experience fit the job description perfectly. Undoubtedly, that too plays a significant part in success. Being exceptionally good at what you do is, nonetheless, the reason why someone needs you in the first place. But the reality is not 1s and 0s. There is a colorful spectrum of variables that play a role in how we make decisions. Trust is one of them.
We make decisions founded on trust, and trust in a true sense, happens subconsciously. The feeling of trust emerges when our values are relatable. Common values and interests birthed the trust that allowed us to progress from the very prehistoric beginnings to the present day, and shape the society we live in.
What you stand for. What you strive for. Things you think are essential for a better tomorrow. Those values contribute to the trustworthiness of the package you offer. It serves as a complementary piece of evidence to your skillset. It’s an image of not just your abilities, but of you as a whole.
Personal branding
Your perception of the world can match you with like-minded people and people who can give fresh energy to your passion. A social circle that helps you succeed. Your personal branding is the medium by which you convey your perception.
Personal branding is a set of principles by which you present yourself in front of anyone who gets to know anything about you, most often, professionally. It is a consistent identity by which you and your work are recognized. It is the feeling people get when they interact with you and your work. You must have felt it, right?
Professionals with powerful personal branding emit authenticity, and their presence radiates authority. The work they do has a finishing touch of something intangible, irrelated to the quality of their work.
"If something is done by person X, then it must be good".
Like it or not, presumptions like that are real. And it is all due to effective brand identity. Bill Gates, Jamie Oliver, and Rihanna are perfect examples of impeccable personal brands. What they do has brought them fame. Their personal branding secured their place there.
Personal branding is not a final state, but a never-ending process. It is in the essence of every action. It is a muscle that gets stronger the more you work on it. So, make sure you tune in for the next post where I will cover ways to improve your online and offline presence and build a personal brand that represents what you stand for.
Conclusion
By now, you should understand the importance of personal branding and how it can contribute to your success in your career. A strong personal brand can differentiate you from the competition, make you more appealing to potential employers or clients, and convey trustworthiness.
Building a personal brand is an ongoing process that requires consistent effort and attention to detail. It is essential to have a clear understanding of what you stand for, what you strive for, and the values that you hold dear. By communicating these values to others, you can attract like-minded people who can help you achieve your goals and advance your career.
In some of my next posts, we will discuss practical steps you can take to build and improve your personal branding. We will cover online and offline strategies to help you create a consistent identity that reflects who you are and what you stand for. Of course, I’m a technical guy, and I might be focusing a lot on technology, software development, and the IT industry. But from time to time I will try to detach from it and talk about general principles. We will be building stuff, and at the same time giving answers to why we are doing it. Whether you are a technical person or not, the principles of personal branding are universal, and you can apply them to any industry or profession.
Remember that personal branding is not about creating a fake persona or pretending to be someone you are not. It is about presenting your authentic self in the best possible light and communicating your values and skills to the world. A powerful personal brand can help you achieve your goals and stand out in your career.
