Personal Branding - I package my skills as a brand

Introduction

Personal branding is a process that enables us to stand out among other employees and candidates. A personal brand is the creation of your story through your experiences and skills in a way you want the world to see you. It tells the world who you are and what is important to you. It is how you match the skills you have with the skills you need for different types of work. Once you know the skills you have and the skills you need, you can brand yourself to show how suitable you are. You can also identify gaps and show others how you are working to close those gaps.

Benefits of personal branding

1. Personal branding makes you relatable, builds trust and credibility.

2. Increases your confidence.

3. Allows you to exhibit your skills.

4. Branding helps you to ‘stand-out’ in the crowd.

5. It helps to create a positive self-image to future employers and clients.

Skill example

I researched the job descriptions of different jobs I was interested in and then matched my skills to the skills that were required. I then prepared my CV to show how well suited I was to those jobs. Once completed, I went to provide my CV together with a motivation letter to the organisations in my area who offered such jobs. 

Vicky’s story

Vicky, 36-year-old, is an accomplished author of children’s books and teen novels. She is also a freelance writer for many big companies. Over the last few years, Vicky has won multiple national and international awards for her books and is at the pinnacle of her career. Despite her success, Vicky finds herself continually asking the question, “What now?” Vicky feels that something is missing and after a brainstorm session, has an idea. She decides that she is going to create a website to assist struggling new writers and freelancers on the art of writing and succeeding in the industry. In addition to these, she would also host workshops and webinars related to writing.

Vicky’s new website is an instant hit, and she can attract much attention due to her brand, which is already recognisable and well-established. Her branding style is consistent across her websites and social media platforms. The details she provides speaks of her skills and evidence of past clients etc. The most noticeable thing about Vicky is her authenticity. She spoke openly about her struggles when she began and techniques she used not to lose hope. In a matter of a few weeks, Vicky has over 100 subscribers, with many expressing interest in the workshops and webinars. Vicky starts hosting her workshops, at a fee, and the response is good. Vicky is ecstatic that her idea was so well received. She appreciates this would not have been possible if she had not established her personal brand and authority in the industry first. Vicky hopes she will be able to assist others in creating a name for themselves.