How to build a personal brand

A personal brand can be defined as who you are, what you stand for, the values one embraces and the way one expresses such values. These values will be of significant importance when you are searching for a job, looking for a promotion, considering changing careers or growing your network. In a nutshell, it will help you achieve your goals.

It is worth noting that a personal brand gives a person a unique identity and a clear value to potential employers. So, this can be a big challenge for people to build but there are some tips than can help you create a good personal brand. They include the following;

Who are you?

For you to build a personal brand, you have to figure out who you are. Your personal brand should reflect your personal and professional capabilities. This can be done by creating a list of your strengths and weaknesses. You can ask yourself simple questions such as the areas you excel in, what motivates you in this life, how people usually compliment you, what drains your energy and the things you can do for hours without a feeling of exhaustion. If you find yourself struggling to answer those questions, it would be advisable to seek help from your friends, family or colleagues. They may have a proper description of yourself.

What will you be known for?

Have in mind what you want to be known for-since your personal brand is a roadmap of where you want to go, it should not be limited to just a mere reflection of what you are today.in fact, instead of understanding your existing skills, you should be assessing your strengths and weaknesses as you relate to any company, career or industry. So, by doing this you will uncover many things about you. These are traits and skills that make you so distinct from other people. It will also help you to learn new things and thus improving your knowledge.

Who will you reach out for?

A good personal brand is created by people who can clearly define their audience. These are people who can hire you out. They may be an industry, an individual at a certain company, recruiters or leaders. The faster you can define your audience then you can build a story you need to tell them. An example would be, if a person`s goal is to reach hiring managers or recruiters, they may start by creating or updating your social medial platforms. This is especially the linkeldln profile because most recruiters leverage social media these days to find out high-quality candidates. It is also worth noting that many people use social media platforms these days. So posting relevant and elevating things would be of great significance to you

What are your desires?

Researching about things that you are interested in and following what experts are doing would help you to develop your personal brand very drastically. You just have to compile all the researches you’ve done and see what suits you the best. Researches can be done online on websites, you tube or on any search engines. Also you can look out for bog posts. Just keep in mind that you are looking for people who are successful in what they are doing, examine them, imitate them and then do a better job than them. Your goal should be how to stand out among the already existing people and those who want to rise as you are rising

Looking out for information

A good personal brand is also created by asking for informational interviews from the companies you aspire to work in.so, you`ll have to reach out to them and ask those professionals the questions you might have. Take a lot of time to understand everything about those companies and industries. This will give you an overview of what is needed by them. Some people tend to shy off from doing this but don’t be afraid to ask for what you don’t understand very well. By asking many questions, you will gain information about your desired field and this is very beneficial.

Elevate yourself

People want to know who you are. But, a lot of them don’t know how to express themselves when asked this question. It`s always a daunting task for them. So, people should learn how to craftily devise a thirty second story of who they are.so, learning an elevator pitch would be of greater importance. Make sure you can clearly describe to people what you can do and who you are. It is also important to note that your elevator pitch should be brief. This is by focusing on a few key points you want to emphasize. This includes what they are looking for, your strengths in a particular area or the value you’ve added to where you’ve been working.

Growing your networks

As you create your ideal personal brand, it is crucial to embrace networking. By doing so, you will be growing your professional circle. Connect with as many people as possible. These may include, peers, thought-leaders, politicians and renown business people.so, the more value you can provide in your interactions the more likely your personal brand will be recognized by many people. This gives a greater exposure in the market.

Asking for endorsements

Current and former colleagues can recommend you and thus helping in building your personal brand.by endorsement, it can be one of the easiest and most effective way of defining your brand. So, a person ought to cultivate his own reviews in form of endorsements and recommendations.it is worth noting that social media platforms are a good place to ask for recommendations. Linkedln is a great place because it catches the eyes of future hiring managers and recruiters.so, people acting as an endorsement to you should also act as actual reference during your job search by being willing to talk with potential employers or write a bona fide letter of recommendation if possible.it would ideal for your former managers to recommend you especially those who mentored you.