Simply stated, a personal brand communicates who you are in a way that is meaningful and memorable. Content strategist/author Elizabeth Smithson defines personal branding as:

•  It’s a way of differentiating yourself from your competition and clarifies what you offer that makes you the better choice. 

•  It should make a memorable impression on the hiring manger and allow them to know the value you provide the organization.

•  It’s a true representation of who you are as a professional and how you want to be known.

A well-defined and well-managed personal brand allows you to become known in exactly the way you want to become known.  Or as Amazon founder Jeff Bezos puts it, “Your brand is what other people say about you when you are not in the room.”

The practice of creating a brand comes from the world of marketing. Thanks to brand identities, consumers feel like they know their brands and trust they will deliver what they say they will.  

When people think of Volvo, for example, they associate the brand with safety. When people think of BMW, on the other hand, they associate the brand with luxury. Of course, both Volvo and BMW have many other qualities, but they differentiate themselves from all the other cars on the market by emphasizing a primary quality in all their marketing messages to consumers.

In our professional lives, a personal brand identity provides all the same benefits that brand identities give to businesses: 

• Communicates clearly and concisely who you are

• Defines why you do what you do

• Identifies who you serve

• Establishes what differentiates you

• Reinforces your credibility and expertise

• Strengthens your reputation as leader in your field

Why do job seekers need a personal brand?

As you manage your job search, you become the “Chief Marketing Officer” of a brand called “you.”  In person, on the phone and in emails, you will communicate information about yourself with personnel staff, hiring managers, people you meet at networking events and friends and family who may be able to connect you with job opportunities.  

Your personal brand serves as a shorthand message informing people inside and outside your network who you are, what you do and the value you bring. It ensures that the information you give these contacts positions you as a qualified, top candidate for the kinds of opportunities you are seeking. A clear, concise message makes you memorable and helps you stand out from the competition.

Here are some ways to leverage your brand statement:

• Summary statement on your resume

• Content for your LinkedIn profile and cover letter

• Basis for many of your interview answers

• Agenda for your informational interviews and networking

• Foundation for an effective, focused job search

Creating a personal brand statement

There are various elements to creating an effective personal brand statement. It should be one to three sentences long, easily understood and memorable. It also needs to answer the following three questions:

• What tangible value do you provide the organization?

• What sets you apart from the competition? (this includes your strengths, skills, experiences, motivations, etc...)

• What is the position you are seeking?

Creating a personal brand statement takes time and what I call “heavy lifting.” Start by writing down everything you can think of for each of the three key questions listed above. Next, edit your responses and begin to form a statement. You’ll probably repeat this process of brainstorming and editing several times before you arrive at a statement that works for you.

As an example, here is my personal brand statement:

Through my proven, unique “inside-out” process, I work with executives and professionals to increase their self-confidence and unlock their full potential to thrive in their positions, achieve happiness at work and in their careers.

Here are a few other examples:

I am a catalyst for change and passionate about helping businesses improve their marketing strategy by evaluating current practices and then creating a plan to overcome challenges, generate growth opportunities and achieve organizational goals.

I am an experienced risk manager with strong analytical, strategic and relationship building skills and bring a wide range of corporate experience ranging from start-ups to Fortune 500 companies. The position I am seeking is a risk manager and regulatory consultant.

A personal brand statement can help you achieve more than “top of mind awareness” with your network, hiring managers and recruiters during your job search journey — it can position you as the “top of mind preference” for the position you are seeking.

Connect with me for more guidance on creating and leveraging your personal brand.