Are you looking to make a career change or re-enter the job market after a long absence? If so, it’s time to sharpen up your personal brand. Developing a strong personal brand is essential for creating the clarity and confidence you need to successfully market yourself to your dream employer. But what does that mean exactly? In simple terms, personal branding is the process of showing others who you are, what you do and how you do it. Let’s take a deeper look at how to define your personal brand.

1. Identify what you’re good at.

 

Think back to projects or situations when you excelled at work. What did YOU do that made it a success. How exactly did you do it? Consider what others say about you and think 360, so direct reports, colleagues, managers, the Board and also friends and family – what do they think are your strengths? What do people say about you when you are out of the room?  This will give you a good indication of your current personal brand and which parts you want to emphasise and change. If you’re struggling to find the language, I’d recommend taking the free VIA Character Strengths test which you can find online.

2. Integrate your values.

 

Core values are like a code of conduct. Identifying your core values will give you a clear idea of the workplace culture you would thrive and the behaviours that you need to embody and be surrounded by to be your best self.  Download my Core Values workbook here.

 

3. Pinpoint your passions.

 

What activities do you love to do? If money was no object, what would you be doing? What is it about each activity that lights you up? Identify the feeling you get or it could be linked to a strength or a core value.  Lean in further and think about how you could use this strength, be aligned with this value or feel this feeling in a work environment.

 

4. Discover your purpose

 

Hopefully you’re beginning to see how unique you really are – your experiences, your strengths, your passions and your values – frankly, no-one has the same combination. So, use this knowledge to draft your authentic purpose.

 

Imagine you are 80 years old surrounded by grandchildren, you have achieved everything you’d hoped in your career. You are fulfilled and happy. They ask you which achievement you are most proud of in your career. What do you say?

 

Identify tangible actions you can take to make this a reality in this chapter of your career. What one step can you take today? Why is it so important to you to achieve this? What are the consequences of not?

5. Own your career story

 

Stay in your own lane. Be well versed on your career story and own it. Crafting an effective personal brand is essential to stand out in today’s crowded job market. By taking the time to practice articulating your experience, getting clear on who you are as an individual and what sets you apart from other candidates, will help ensure that employers recognise the value that only YOU can bring to their organisation.

This article was written by Lucy Higgins, one of our partner coaches. You can find out more about Lucy on her coach profile page: www.careeringintomotherhood.com/lucy-higgins

February 16, 2023