Read about why branding yourself is so essential for standing out in an oversaturated job market.

By: Madeline Strauch

Branding is a vital strategy for any professional looking to stand out. When you brand yourself, you are making yourself known, understood, and hopefully memorable.

As we know, first impressions are very important, especially in a professional setting. Creating your personal brand is a perfect way to promote the exact impression you want people to have of you. Branding is great because it doesn’t just have to be about who you are, but what knowledge and skills you can offer as well. This is especially helpful if you intend on getting a job, because employers will gain a brief understanding upfront of what you have to offer and benefit to their organization.

Your personal brand is an opportunity to stand out and showcase why you should be considered for an internship, job, promotion, etc. It is unique to you, so make sure to stay true to who you are, but keep in mind that it is wise to brand yourself in a way that aligns with your professional field. This will help make you memorable and consistent.

Essentially, your brand is a mechanism to sell yourself to a buyer, which, in most cases is a future employer. One of the goals of your personal image should be to market yourself to your audience to be interested enough in investing in you, whether it be for a job or even just an initial interview.

Social media is a huge aspect of your personal brand. Be consistent and smart about how you present yourself on your social media platforms. It is important to never include anything you wouldn’t want your employer to disapprove of. However, social media has the power to greatly enhance your brand. Keeping up with social media postings is important, especially posts or material that relates to your professional field or interests. A good thing to do is create a website or a blog where you can display skills and achievements in one place that is unique to you.

In today’s competitive professional world, the main point to take away about branding is try to make your personal brand special, something that employers will look at and be impressed by. It may seem difficult, but there are many unique things about yourself that others don’t have or don’t have in the same way you do. Remember to remain positive because your brand is just a reflection of who you are, it’s truly you that is unique in the world!

Sources:

http://sixrevisions.com/project-management/why-branding-yourself-is-important/

http://www.sbnonline.com/article/how-branding-yourself-is-important-for-your-career-and-company/