Professional branding used to be a topic that I had to explain to my career coaching clients, but less so these days. Some clients seek me out specifically to work on their professional brand. Here is why it matters:
Professional branding increases your visibility
If you want to succeed in your career, it’s not enough to do a great job. People need to know that you do a great job. You and your achievements need to be visible. I am not talking about arrogant bragging, just about owning your achievements and talking about them confidently. Professional branding allows you do exactly that, and you can chose a style that feels authentic to you.
Professional branding increases your market value
Most people go through different jobs in their life these days. Having a strong professional brand will help you being headhunted and employed. Just imagine that you are an expert in data protection law and you frequently post on LinkedIn about this topic. This will easily make you a top candidate if you apply for a role as a data protection lawyer.
Professional branding increases job satisfaction
People who hold a strong professional pride are much more likely to enjoy high levels of job satisfaction. I am referring to more than just being proud of your profession. It is about taking pride in displaying a professional behaviour each and every day. I am suggesting this for your own benefit, not for the sake of your employer. It feels good!
On the other hand, do you know people who complain that they feel like a powerless tiny cog in the machinery of a large corporation? A slave who is exploited to create wealth for their employer? Do you sometimes feel this way? It’s not a great feeling and another example of a mindset that can spiral you downwards towards resentment, frustration, depression and disease.
Think of yourself as a business
I would like to offer you a different way of perceiving your role in your employment. How about thinking about yourself as a one-man or one-woman business that serves a single customer, being your employer? You take pride in your professional skills and the value that you provide to the stakeholders of your employer. You love improving your service and increasing your professional reputation.
A great way to achieve this is to think about yourself as a personal brand that you are looking to build and market.
You already have a professional brand
Whether you want it or not, you already have a professional brand. The way you show up at work already communicates attributes of your skills and personality that people will associate with you. What do people say about you when you have left the room? How do they feel after an encounter with you?
Hopefully, your brand is already positive, but how about being a bit more strategic about this? You can influence your brand by deciding what you want to represent and how to communicate this consistently.
What brand do you want to be?
Have a think about the brand you want to communicate through the way you show up at work:
- What expertise and behavioural skills do you want to be known for?
- How can you hone your skills to achieve excellence in your chosen area?
- What values do you want to be associated with?
- How does you attire, language, service standards support your chosen brand?
Start communicating your brand
Once you have established the answers to these questions, create a strategy for consistently communicating and displaying those values, skills and behaviours at work, on social media and at professional networking events. They will become expressions of your personal brand. You could, for example, write professional articles, speak at public events, share relevant information on social media or just display those values through consistent action.
In my book “Falling in Love With Your Job” you will find more ideas and guidance on how to create your own personal brand.
You don’t have to do it alone
A career coach can help you with a step-by-step plan for developing and communicating your very own personal brand. Click here to book a FREE Discovery Call with me or one of my excellent hand picked associates.
