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Your personal brand is just as important as a corporate brand in many aspects. It's who you are, what you believe in, the values you hold dear, and how you exhibit those ideals. A personal brand helps you express a unique identity and obvious value to potential employers or clients, just how a company's brand helps them communicate their value to consumers and stand out from the competitors.
We all know how important it is to build a personal brand since a good reputation may place you on the radar for interesting job prospects. It's considerably more likely that you'll get selected for relevant and exciting projects when your abilities are recognized, and it also helps you stand out.
However, female employees have some specific obstacles when it comes to personal branding. Gender norms assume that women should be pleasant, kind, and caring, and when they break these standards — such as when they take the initiative to make a difficult choice, express a strong opinion or market themselves — they are frequently penalized in ways that men are not. We can all recall ladies who were publicly chastised for being "too aggressive" or referred to as "emotional."
As a woman, how do you manage this issue and build a strong personal brand? Here are four ways for ensuring that your abilities are recognized:
1. Decide what you want to be remembered for.
Your brand is more than a reflection of who you are now; it's a guide for where you want to go in the future. Assess your strengths and weaknesses about the sector or job you wish to break into next, in addition to knowing your current abilities and competencies.
You'll discover the talents and qualities that distinguish you, as well as the areas where you need to develop or learn new information to progress. Forecasting where you want to be in five or ten years, as well as the qualities you want to be recognized for, can help you figure out what actions you need to take to get there.
2. Make networking a priority.
It's critical to network often to expand your professional circle. Attend networking events and be intentional about socializing with colleagues and industry thought leaders.
The more connections you establish and the more value you can give in your encounters, the more likely your brand will become known. Networking accounts for 85 percent of all job openings, attending these events regularly can help you not only establish your brand but also progress your career.
Don't be afraid to invite people you want to build your relationship with for a casual coffee conversation or e-meeting. If you didn't have a chance to meet up at the event, send an email or connect on LinkedIn to start a dialogue. Don't miss an opportunity , when people tell you to call or email them, DO IT. The summer prior to my last semester in college, I met with an Underwriting Manager, we had a great conversation she introduced me to her team. I sent her a follow up email and attached my resume. A few months later her boss was looking to an underwriting assistant, she didn't remember my name, she searched "resume" in her inbox. My contact details popped up, I came in the next day for an interview at 9am and had a job offer before 5pm that same day. The lesson here, don't discount the power of a follow up email!
3. Take command of your story.
We frequently think that if we work hard enough, people will notice, or that if we make a shift, it would be obvious to others. Since people are so overworked these days, that is rarely the case. They just aren't paying close enough attention to us or our career paths to build a cohesive narrative about us.
Develop a clear and concise elevator pitch that outlines how your past talents link with and provide value to what you're doing now to help others grasp the truth about your path. Rather than trusting that people would figure it out on their own, make that link clear.
4. Make your ideas public.
If you keep a low profile and let your work speak for itself, you might be able to establish a positive reputation among the people you work with. However, that is a small number of people. People in other departments or executives at a higher level may be unaware of your efforts. If there are any personnel changes this might jeopardize the hard-won reputational capital you've accumulated. Your new employer or coworkers may have no clue whether you're any good because they haven't worked with you before.
Many women may be hesitant to brag about their achievements or promote themselves directly. However, while creating a brand, there are alternative methods to demonstrate your areas of competence and expertise. You might, for example, volunteer to organize a lunch-and-learn on a topic you've been researching or write an article for your company's corporate intranet. Different avenues of thought leadership is another way to boost your brand, I created and launched a healthcare podcast series. Upper management is nearly always interested since these channels are crucial vehicles for transferring information and sharing best practices.
Now you have the keys to Be Bold Promoting Your Personal Brand!
Influence has a start date and that date is today.
Your Influence AccelerateHER,
Shellé