The Anatomy of Personal Branding

In the modern digital era, being influential or recognised online is a powerful tool whether you are job searching or otherwise.

Just as companies need to be aware of their brand image, so do we as individuals need to know what image we project in a professional world.

Want to know what a personal brand requires? Let Dr. ELJ take you through the anatomy:

A critical mind

Ask yourself: what are my strengths and weaknesses? What do I offer to the world on a professional and personal level? Who am I trying to make this brand for?

In other words: Who is my target, and what is the ‘product’ I am selling them?

A face that stands out from the crowd

It is not enough to simply know what you can offer; you have to know what is on the market so that your originality will shine out from the faces in the multitude. Don’t be afraid to be yourself and use your personality as a tool in your brand.

Eyes that look towards the future

Knowing what you want to be and where are want to end up is very valuable when presenting a personal brand. Your foresight and vision for the future will create confidence in any community you are involved in and will ultimately give you more control of the directions you take.

Try and envisage where you would like to be in 10, 20 or even 30 years from now, as well as where you will be in a year’s time.

The ability to engage

Branding is all about making connections. The only way to create a buzz around your personal brand is to reach out and speak to others. On a digital spectrum, this takes place online in networking and community building. Give yourself a voice, engage with others and encourage them to engage with you in return.

To influence people, you must interact with them first.

A passionate heart

As well as having hard, marketable skills, your personality and your soft skills (i.e. your people skills, communication, integrity, etc.) will take you a long way. Your community will respect sincerity and it will build trust. Plus, it’s more enjoyable to let your passions define you!

Strength

Your strength as an online brand, as with an offline brand, its visibility, and reach. Keep all of your social media and sites updated, fresh, and free of negativity. You should monitor the image you project and make sure your content is interesting and relevant.

Legwork

Last but certainly not least, you must work hard. You will not become a sensation overnight, or catch that perfect employer by tweaking your twitter feed. This is a long term project of getting yourself noticed in business which is no small task. With the right attitude and plenty of ‘legwork’, you’ll reach your dreams!

If you want to know how you’re doing so far, try entering your name into a search engine (be sure to use incognito mode so that your computer history does not bias the results you find).

You are in control of your personal image so make sure you like what you find!

Check out our video to summarise the main points made:

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