Personal branding is the concept that describes the quality that sets a person apart from their competition, rendering them unique. Moreover, it refers to the value of recognition an individual wields: they can be easily identified by others because of their appearance, a feat they achieved or their manner of promotion. Personal branding can have serious benefits on an individual’s personal life and career as it places them in a position of authority.
Despite this benefit, many people find it difficult to figure out how they can distinguish themselves from the crowd by curating their own personal brand. This article will explore seven key areas to focus on when trying to develop a personal brand that is formidable and unique to you.
1. Verification of experience
Another crucial aspect of your personal brand is reference(s) provided by previous employers. Over 30 per cent of employers stipulate they rely heavily on their candidates’ references when deciding who to hire. The reason for this is pretty self-explanatory: social and professional references comprise the second-most reliable indicator of an employee’s pedigree, the first being a direct referral of an employee.
Furthermore, a study by Nielsen Research revealed that in excess of 90 per cent of people trust the reviews of other individuals - particularly if they know that person in real life too. The trust granted to individuals isn’t diminished substantially online though, as BrightLocal’s research suggested over 85 per cent of the respondents trusted the online reviews of strangers equally to people they are acquainted with.
2. Digital identity
According to a study from CareerBuilder, as many as 40 per cent of employers listed inappropriate content (regardless of type, i.e. photos, videos or text) on social media as the top deal-breaker for candidates they are considering for a role. In fact, the absence of any social profiles for a candidate can actually work against them, with many employers passing on them.
The vast majority of employers indicated that they would scope out their candidates on social media to verify if their personality and character mirrored that of their CV and LinkedIn profile. This means it is important that individuals bear this in mind when using these online platforms and remain conscious of how they can be judged for their posts and likes.
3. Professional skills
Professional skills, a prerequisite for recruitment, are a critical factor for determining if an applicant's personal capacity matches the company's requirements. Work experience refers to the cumulative amount of time that someone has worked.
It indicates the level that someone is at, which firms will normally hire someone with prior expertise in that sector of work to save on training expenditures (Liu Chang, 2019). Marketers, for example, must be capable of evaluating and planning, which necessitates the ability to perform independent market research, devise planning schemes, and be knowledgeable about sales and strategies.
4. Professional appearance
The physical appearance of an individual, as superficial as it sounds, plays a pivotal role in the first impression an employer can form of you.
One quick, cheap and effective way to quickly improve your appearance to look more professional is an at-home clear aligner. The smile is often what our eyes are drawn to, so straightening your teeth to achieve a beautiful smile with these dental tools can significantly improve your attractiveness to employers by making you seem more professional.
5. Interpersonal communication
An individual’s interpersonal communication skills refers to their ability to maintain a successful channel of communication with those around them. As part of this, individuals are expected to be able to swiftly and usefully transfer their thoughts to co-workers, as well as draw relevant information from the replies of their co-workers as well.
6. Keeping up with trends
Companies want to know the ways in which you can provide them with value. A key element of your personal brand that is indicative of the value you can offer is your expertise and knowledge of your industry. Reading news related to your industry and demonstrating you keep up to date is an incredibly valuable way of doing this.
Alternatively, it is worth taking advantage of the popular social media hashtags in order to remain up to date with trends there too.
7. Maintain industry contacts
The final tip is to keep and update a database of all the professional contacts you make in an industry - you never know when this can help you out. Using a spreadsheet and populating it with info about each contact plus how to connect with them and their specialty, you can create an invaluable resource to secure future opportunities should you desire them later down the line.
Final remark
Developing a strong and professional personal brand is incredibly important and has a myriad of benefits. Many people struggle with how to approach this, so we hope this article provides you with some useful guidance on how to begin.