The conscious and intentional effort to create and influence public perception of an individual by positioning them as an authority in their industry, elevating their credibility, and differentiating themselves from the competition to ultimately advance their career, increase their circle of influence, and have a larger impact.

(‘Definition - What Is a Personal Brand?’ n.d.)

Simplifying this definition, I see personal branding as analogous to consistently demonstrating your core principles. This definition assumes that they are decent and align with your work goals.

When I consider my employment history, every role I have worked in, I have obtained through a referral of a previous colleague and friend. I have applied for countless positions, had interviews, but never accepted the role, as something always felt off. It could have been the interviewer, the company, or some uncommunicable feeling.

Following this thought pattern, does this mean I do not communicate my brand effectively? Under consideration, it was apparent to my wife that my brand is trustworthy. People who typically refer me to positions know what I am good at, my core principles, and usually communicate these to prospective employers.

The referral has a dual purpose; it acts as a recommendation to both the employer and to the prospective employee. It signifies that my brand communicates to the referer. They know what kinds of benefits I can bring to a company, but also what I’m looking for in a company.

I have not spent much time purposely developing a personal brand; however, I have a set of core principles which are so ingrained in my behaviour that I do not consciously consider them. Consistently, on practically every work-related review, the same topics are raised. I see this as another indicator that a brand is useful, despite not purposely cultivating it.

When considering approaches to build a brand, effectively seeking to persuade others, Alex Birkett on CXL.com states:

When we belong, or feel we belong to a group, we’re likely to be more open to persuasion attempts. (Alex Birkett 2016)

Considering this, in the context that I have not purposely developed my brand, it is clear that I have built it through working relationships, rather than purposeful communication. This approach may have led to it being more authentic.

Whatever approach I take to develop my brand consciously, I must maintain this authentic approach.

Cialdini states

the highest achievers spent more time crafting what they did and said before making a request (Cialdini 2016) He goes on to describe the amount of background research, around influencers and situations that a buyer may be experiencing, before crafting the message.

I believe I can translate this into more effective and deliberate communication around my skills by focusing my LinkedIn profile using some of the previously stated feedback from my reviews. Concentrate on the situations that I can help prevent, and the benefits I can bring to a business with my skillset.

References

  • ‘Definition - What Is a Personal Brand?’ n.d. PersonalBrand.com [online]. Available at: https://personalbrand.com/definition/ [accessed 28 Nov 2020].

  • ALEX BIRKETT. 2016. ‘Cialdini’s 7th Persuasion Principle: Using Unity in Online Marketing’. CXL [online]. Available at: https://cxl.com/blog/cialdini-unity/ [accessed 29 Nov 2020].

  • CIALDINI, R. 2016. Pre-Suasion: A Revolutionary Way to Influence and Persuade. Simon & Schuster. Available at: https://books.google.com/books?id=GI7tDAAAQBAJ.