To have a personal brand is hot and hip right now.
All it really means is that you know how to package yourself. Do you have a personal brand?
We all have skills, talents, abilities and passion. If you look at each of these by themselves, they aren’t unique. You and your brand become unique once you’ve combined them together.
I was talking to a city planner turned into historic preservation fanatic the other day. He’s worried that his return to the city planning world may look fishy to employers.
Instead, I helped him see how his historic preservation credentials combined with his city planning experience can make him a really sweet candidate to the right city/town/area.
This was an “Aha” moment. Instead of covering up his historic preservation interest, he’s going to partner it as a unique brand!
In talking to another person about her recent relocation without a job, she understood how her blend of different work experiences add value to her where ever she goes.
Before you embark on a job search or if you are already full swing into it, you need to understand and begin embracing this concept.
It will require introspection, but it will be well worth it in the long run. You may want to answer these 5 questions to help you pin down your personal brand.
It’s Time You Have A Personal Brand
Here are some posts and blogs to read to more fully immerse you into the concept:
It all started with Tom Peters: The Brand Called You! from Fast Company
Define Your Brand with Simple Questions from Harvard Business Review
More Resources In Case You Don’t Have A Personal Brand…Yet
There are lots of websites and articles dedicated to personal branding so here are some of my go-to resources!
Job-Hunt.org Personal Branding Posts and info (featuring expert Meg Guiseppi)
Hannah Morgan speaks and writes about job search and career strategies. She founded CareerSherpa.net to educate professionals on how to maneuver through today’s job search process. Hannah was nominated as a LinkedIn Top Voice in Job Search and Careers and is a regular contributor to US News & World Report. She has been quoted by media outlets, including Forbes, USA Today, Money Magazine, Huffington Post, as well as many other publications. She is also author of The Infographic Resume and co-author of Social Networking for Business Success.
