Jason Alba (www.jibberjobber.com) posted a great question this week on LinkedIn…
Is “Personal Branding” moving from fad status to mainstream?
What do you think about “personal branding?” Is it something you are working on or believe in? Or is it just a fad and it will pass?
Great question Jason, and as of today he has 29 responses to his inquiry, you can ready them here: http://bit.ly/d1s8T5
Here was my $.02. Personal branding is a current buzzword, yes. However, it is a landmark buzzword that is finally giving a life, an identity, a shape, to the otherwise amorphous and slippery sense that as individuals, we are in fact INDIVIDUAL.
Personal branding is raising the bar for self awareness. It doesn’t matter if you are in a job search or career change, or even dating, personal branding is in fact the reflection and harnessing of what others feel to be true about you. The gold is in the understanding 2 main points:
- Your personal brand is something to be extracted and understood clearly by you. This, along with an awareness of how others see you, so that you can work to improve your brand in a way that will help you reach your goals.
- This information is a great way to describe yourself or your strengths to others without ‘tooting your own horn’. Try it…simply be ready to reflect 2 or 3 things that people always say about you. You’ll be able to speak with confidence about yourself without feeling you are bragging. Of course, it goes much deeper than that, but this is the fundamental concept.
As more people apply personal branding concepts to unearth and understand their many facets, they will invariably raise the bar of self confidence and self expression in stark comparison to those who have not. Again, this applies to relationships of all types- corporate and personal. Buzzword, yes, fad status, certainly not. Call it whatever you want, personal branding is here to stay and we will see it more prominently taught in universities and high schools as part of career and life planning in the near future.
What will you do to unearth and capture YOUR personal brand? Remember, it’s never to early to start.
Kelly Welch is a veteran HR professional, Certified Personal Branding Strategist, Professional Resume Writer, and Career Advancement Coach. She regularly provides critical career insights and perspectives to the delight and success of her clients.