Making your mark: How to cultivate your personal branding

With the advent of technology, it’s so easy to find information about someone on the internet. You can take control of what people see about you by cultivating your personal brand.  Your personal brand should be something memorable, engaging, and of course, something you control. It’s more than just keeping up appearances; It’s practicing what you preach and giving yourself the avenue to leverage your skills and experience to be a trusted member of the industry.

With a simple Google search of your name, people who are interested in connecting with you professionally can see your digital footprint so it would be beneficial for you to take charge of your personal brand. In a simple sense, your brand is your reputation. Keep up with the essentials to help you make your mark in the professional landscape.

Jumpstarting your personal brand

Your digital presence can be found on social media sites like Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram but in the professional landscape, LinkedIn can serve as the main platform for social networking of people in the industry you work for. However, no matter how good you look on LinkedIn, your good reputation might come off as a façade if the Google search results of your name reveal anything undesirable or unsavory about you.

Sometimes, having an established communication channel is enough for you to connect with people you share common professional interests in. Including a work email address in your profile where people can contact you can help you associate and engage with the audience you constantly have.

Building it where it counts

Figure out how people perceive you and make sure that reflects the skills and experiences you have. Have your colleagues and clients evaluate your performance and work ethic to see what aspects of yourself can become an asset. You can also try to encourage them to give you testimonials or pen recommendations on LinkedIn that can serve as social proof to further help your personal brand. This can also help you see what you can work on to better yourself in your field of interest. You can build your brand around your strengths and the traits you want people to associate with you. Aside from that, also look into how to share your stories and experiences more effectively so you can help yourself and others as well.

Walking the walk and talking the talk

Of course, it can’t only be at the surface level. Live out your brand and back it up with real achievements. The essentialized version of yourself that you have created must give you credibility in your position. Project your personal brand regularly and don’t try to be someone you’re not. Leverage your strengths and work on your weaknesses to ensure holistic career growth.

Look into which platform suits you best. If you find engaging regularly with people with the same interests as something worthwhile, you can build your personal brand on Twitter where conversations and feedback can be sent quickly. If you prefer writing opinion pieces and helpful narratives, keeping a blog might satisfy you and help your brand as well while you share your experiences with the audience that relates to you.

You can create your own mission statement to work towards in your career. Cultivate your own personal brand and be someone you yourself can trust in the industry. In the end, it’s about building trust with your audience: your colleagues and clients. If you have a good reputation that precedes you, your place in the industry will be substantial.