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🤷‍♂️ So who even are you?

Personal branding isn’t just for wannabe LinkedIn influencers like me. 🤭

It’s something each and everyone one of us needs to consider, and take control of.

The professional world is changing rapidly. According to Forbes the hidden job market (jobs that are never advertised) accounts for about 70-80% of all open positions. These jobs are filled by people with a strong network. But in order to have a strong network, those in your network need to know what you’re all about: AKA your Personal Brand!

But it isn’t just about landing new roles.

A core outcome of building a strong personal brand is to also maximise your influence and reputation within your current role and company. With influence comes promotions, greater responsibility and respect.

Sadly, failing to invest and intentionally build your own personal brand both at work and within your wider network can have dramatic effects on your career growth prospects.

Let’s explore shall we? 👇🏻

🙉 You won’t want to ignore this.

Let’s be REALLY clear about something. A personal brand is for everyone.

It’s not just for the self employed or self proclaimed “industry gurus”.

In fact, the term personal brand is actually itself a little misleading. A far better way to think about it would be: your REPUTATION. Do you care about your reputation at work or out there in the job market?

Hell yeah you do. You’d be stupid not to.

But ignoring your personal brand or thinking that it’s not for you WILL undoubtedly have impacts on your data career, both in the near and longer terms.

• Clarity: People won’t be clear on what you stand for, what your values are and how you can help them. This will limit their interest in engaging with you.

• Credibility: How can others know to trust what you’re saying or believe that you’re qualified to contribute on a certain topic?

• Authority: A large part of a personal brand is communicating your expertise in a particular area. If this isn’t made clear, you’re unlikely to be seen an an authority on a certain subject.

• Influence: Unless it is clear what you stand for and why, your ability to wield influence will be diminished

• Career: The BIG one. Failing to intentionally cultivate your own personal brand can seriously limit your career ambitions. There is literally no downside to building a personal brand. The same is not true for ignoring it.

Getting started on your personal brand can be a scary prospect, but it doesn’t need to be. As will all things, start slowly with small manageable steps, reflect and iterate as you go.

Let’s take a look at how you might get started 👇🏻

🛡️A personal band is like insurance.

You don’t by insurance once your house is on fire.👨🏽‍🚒

You buy it today so that it is there when you need it!

Finding yourself suddenly on the job market or wanting a promotion is NOT the time to start building your personal brand. By then it will be too late. The time now, so let’s get started today:

How to build a personal brand:

1. 🎯 Identify your motivations and goals for your personal brand:

   There is no point doing something unless you know why you’re doing it. Write these down and get super clear on them! (by the way I have something to help with this)

2. Define your value proposition:

   What are you uniquely good at? Who do you seek to help? How do you help them? What outcomes can they achieve via your help?

3. Clarify your brand message:

   Basically your elevator pitch. Write a short and punchy description and use this to inform the way you communicate who you are and how your help. For example, this could be the ‘about section’ of your LinkedIn profile or the introduction you give about yourself at a talk. (check mine for inspo)

4. Create a consistent and maintainable online presence:

   If you want to build a personal brand beyond your physical networks then you’ll wanna be present online. The brand you want to design will determine that platform you’ll be active on. It doesn’t have to be LinkedIn. Plenty of data people have build tremendous presences on Instagram or Medium.

   Whatever you decide to do, make sure you can maintain it. Systems and processes will be your friend here.

5. Network and engage with others, online and offline:

   Network online the way you would offline. DON’T just connect with people. That is NOT networking. Ask people questions, be genuinely curious in them and what they do.

   Also, networking is not One and Done. Networks require servicing. Keep communication channels open and check in with people periodically. Service your network.

6. Monitor and evolve your brand:

   Personal brands are not set in concrete. They are fluid and must evolve as you evolve. As you grow in your expertise on a certain topic - evolve your brand. As you grow in your career and take on new levels of responsibility - evolve your brand.

Building a personal brand and becoming a networking powerhouse adds myriad benefits to your career that would be impossible to list out here in full.

The upsides are immense and apart from the high level of continuous effort required to build and sustain, there are practically no downsides.

Get started and keep going.

Good luck out there.

🐄

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Tristan Burns

Find me on LinkedIn or Book a 1:1 call