Now it's personal. Why your own brand is the new CV.

Author

Tristan Burns
August 02, 2024

No personal brand, no chance!

What even is a personal brand?

A personal brand is essentially the unique combination of skills, experiences, and personality that you want the world to see. It’s about how you present yourself both online and offline and how others perceive you.

In the future of work, a well-crafted personal brand will be instrumental in differentiating yourself, building trust, and navigating an ever-changing professional landscape.

Without a curated and well socialised personal brand, individuals will find it increasingly difficult to compete and navigate the rapidly changing world of work.

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It will be very difficult to get by with only a CV

In the future, relying solely on a CV without cultivating a personal brand will become increasingly challenging due to several trends and shifts in the professional landscape. Here are the key reasons why a personal brand will be essential:

  • The changing nature of hiring practices:

    • More holistic candidate evaluation - companies will scrutinise candidates well beyond just their CVs. This will certainly include their online and offline reputation.

    • Employers are already looking at your digital footprint (LinkedIn, Twitter, blogs etc.). This will only increase going forward.

      You want to make sure you own the image of yourself that is out there.

  • Increased competition:

    • Remote works means people can work from anywhere in the world. It also means you’re now competing for the same jobs with people anywhere in the world.

  • Rise in the gig economy and freelance work:

    • For people wishing to work for themselves at some stage in gig/freelance capacities, then a personal brand will be utterly essential if you plan to stand out in an increasingly crowded market.

  • Networking and relationship building:

    • Building and maintaining a professional network is critical for career growth. A personal brand makes it easier to connect with industry leaders, peers, and potential mentors (like me). It facilitates meaningful engagement in professional communities and social media platforms.

    • It’s a source of referrals and recommendations. To this day, I have never gotten a job in the traditional way - by submitting a CV and going through the recruitment process. Every single job I’ve ever had has come via my network and has resulted in a fast tracked process with very few interview stages.

  • Establishing expertise through thought leadership:

    • Creating and sharing content relevant to your field can establish you as a thought leader. This visibility can lead to speaking engagements, media opportunities, and recognition within your industry, which a CV alone cannot achieve.

    • Regularly sharing insights and knowledge through blogs, articles, or social media posts demonstrates ongoing value and commitment to your field, which goes beyond the static information on a CV.

What are the forces at play here?

A number of demographic, social, financial and technological forces will fundamentally change the future of work. The results of these changes will be drastic and the current environment we find ourselves in will be unrecognisable. Let’s take a look at what these forces are and why a personal brand will be so crucial in the future of work.

  • AI and automation:

    • Automation WILL replace jobs. This is already happening and will increase. A strong personal brand will highlight the value of your distinct human qualities and help you to stand out in a crowd.

  • Longer work life and later stage retirement:

    • You have a longer life expectancy than the generations before you. To fund your retirement you will need to work for longer and save more money. This too will result in greater market competitiveness, so a personal brand will be a crucial asset.

  • Career mobility and the need for lifelong learning

    • While all this is happening technology will change rapidly and you will constantly need to retrain and relearn. A personal brand will help you to carry credibility and your network from one role or industry to another.

  • Opportunities and challenges beyond traditional employment

    • Companies may seek efficiencies by foregoing traditional employment models and seeking to work with more flexible gig or freelance workers. We already see fractional roles on the rise and this will only continue. A well-crafted personal brand will be a significant asset in building a business, attracting customers, partners, and investors.

If you’re not already seriously considering your own personal brand, then I highly recommend you start now.

A personal brand is much like insurance. You don’t buy insurance once your house is on fire, you buy it today so it is there when you need it.

Start building your personal brand

There is no one clear definition of what shape or structure a personal brand needs to have and no two personal brands are alike.

Building one takes time and energy so in order to be successful it is essential you work towards building one that you can consistently and effectively maintain. There is little point if you commit to a model of a personal brand that you cannot provide the attention it deserves.

To understand what kind of personal brand you ought to be working towards will require you to understand what goals you have for creating one in the first place.

Once you’ve outlined your goals, work backward to get a sense of what activities you might need to undertake or what may need to be true in order for you to arrive at your goals.

You may want to look around at the personal brands that others have cultivated and see if any in particular resonate with you. Then observe that person to see what it is they do to build, maintain and propagate their personal brand.

When considering how you might go about building yours, keep in mind that your personal brand needs to be:

  • Authentic - this builds credibility and that is essential to a PB!

  • Consistent - no point in building one you can’t maintain over time

  • Strategic - it must serve your goals and be valuable to you.

  • Engaging - like all brands you need to attract and keep the attention of your audience

  • Adaptable - the professional landscape is always evolving. So too must your PB!

Building a personal brand will these elements in mind ensures that your brand is sustainable, impactful, and well-aligned with both your personal values and the evolving demands of your field.

These qualities will help you establish a strong, credible, and influential presence in the professional world.

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