Do you dread talking about yourself?
Do the terms personal branding or self-promotion make you wince?
If so, you are not alone in feeling uncomfortable when it comes to the notion of talking about yourself, especially when you have not been directly asked to do so.
However, these terms do not necessarily mean you need to embark on a mission to gain thousands of followers on social media platforms or stop people in the hallway to tell them of your remarkable feats. Instead, I would encourage you to think about them in terms of this statement that I often put to my clients:
“If you don’t tell people what you have done or what you wish to achieve, they won’t know.”
Anita Fletcher
If you are comfortable with the extent to which people know you, that’s fantastic.
But if you would like to let your career status and ambitions to pursue other goals be known more broadly – within your team, the wider environment in which you work, beyond your workplace and potentially at a national or international level, then I hope these suggested ways to start will help you.
7 Personal branding tips to get you started
- Within your immediate professional network (workplace, education settings etc), ensure your colleagues, bosses and peers know your goals and what you have to offer aside from your current day-to-day activities
- How you ‘show up’ each day forms the bedrock of your reputation – consistently demonstrating your core values through the way you interact with others gets you noticed for the right reasons
- Immaculate presentation – look to the people a level or two higher than your current job level and see how they present: “dress like the boss”
- Confident and clear communication – we can always improve the way we write and speak; identify what edges need smoothing out and do the work required
- Manage your online presence carefully – social media posts are enduring (even deleted posts) so choose your words carefully
- LinkedIn can be a great way to convey your career interests, achievements and goals to your professional network and the wider world – think about how you are positioning yourself in terms of future aspirations as well as your current situation
- Networking events – before walking in the room, think about the impression you want to make with the people you will meet in these settings
Ready to get branded?
Whether you see yourself moving up through the ranks or continue in your current role, how people perceive you will impact both on your career prospects and relationships.
Branding isn’t just about logos or tag lines. You are your brand – people will find you more relatable and approachable if you follow our tips to get started on how you present.
From my own experience, it’s hard to know where to start and how to put together a branding strategy (it’s not as scary as it sounds). But if you don’t start, you’ll be missing out on opportunities to broaden your experiences and relationships.
If you’d like some help working out your brand and branding strategy, book in a free 15-min consult to talk with me about what you need.
Other ways I can help
Improve how you present yourself and what you want through:
- Individual coaching sessions
- CV Overhaul
- LinkedIn audit
- Career Development Workshop (13.5 hours CPD)
If you’re interested in any of these services and want to know more, email me: [email protected]
