When you need to stand out in a competitive job market, having a solid personal brand makes a difference. While it’s easy to assume that crafting a stellar personal brand is challenging, it’s often reasonably easy. If you aren’t sure where to begin, here’s a look at how to build a strong personal brand.
Define Your Unique Value Proposition
Uniqueness is essential when developing your personal brand, as it helps you differentiate yourself from other candidates. While separating yourself from others based on professional capabilities is challenging, as most candidates will have similar capabilities, you do have the option of leveraging another approach.
Part of your personal brand focuses on who you are, not necessarily what you do. Consider which traits and perspectives serve as a foundation for your personal brand, and then highlight them to give your personal brand a unique twist. This can include aspects of your personality, values, or broader story, as well as your motivations for focusing on your field. Combine that with more details about your technical expertise, giving your personal brand a unique flavor.
Leverage Online Tools and Social Media
When you’re building a personal brand, ensuring it’s showcased on the correct platforms is a must. Precisely which ones you’ll want to use may vary depending on your professional field. For example, tech pros can use technology-oriented forums to highlight their expertise, while artistic professionals may need to favor visual social media platforms like Instagram.
However, it’s typically wise for all professionals to start with LinkedIn. LinkedIn focuses on career-related content, providing space to outline your experience, showcase your expertise, and connect with others directly or through groups. Couple that with platforms that align with your professional area, or consider launching a website that showcases you from a career perspective.
Showcase Your Skills and Achievements
When you’re cultivating a personal brand, you want to use the same approach as you would for a resume. Don’t simply outline your past duties. Instead, focus on discussing your accomplishments and highlighting the skills you used to make them happen.
With that strategy, it’s far easier to demonstrate how your capabilities provide employers with value. Essentially, you’re outlining what you leverage to deliver results, which is far more impactful. If you want to take it up a notch, make sure to quantify the details. Numbers provide context. Plus, numbers draw the eye, encouraging people to continue reading.
It’s also wise to include examples of your work, particularly if there are visual elements to what you create. For example, graphic artists, UI designers, and similar tech professionals do have visual aspects to their work, so adding a portfolio to showcase those designs works in their favor.
Ultimately, building a personal brand doesn’t need to be challenging. By using the tips outlined above, it’s easier to develop a strong foundation, allowing you to highlight the best of what you have to offer in a meaningful and compelling way.
If you’d like to learn more about personal branding or are ready to leverage your brand to secure a new position, TempStaff can help. Contact us today.
