Friday, January 7, 2011

Personal Branding - How important is it in today's times?

Hello Friend,

 

Do you want to fast track your career?  A great way to do so is personal branding. Many believe hard work can do so and they keep hoping that their efforts will get noticed. While it's certain to help, there's another important and more assertive way to stand out among your peers.

Maybe you have graduated from a reputed school, and you were among the toppers in your batch, or have some great experience that could align you for that promotion down the road. Even if you didn't make it to the Top List, we've been brought up to believe that hard work is the only way to get ahead.

One drawback with this approach is that it's the common path. Your colleagues work hard too, and you're competing at the same level. Should you work harder, or work smarter?

Branding, among its many traits, is also about differentiation. That doesn't mean you should start wearing bow ties, but positioning yourself so that you do stand out. You can begin by demonstrating your potential with personal branding.

Regardless of age, position or the business we happen to be in, all of us need to understand the importance of branding. We are CEOs of our own selves. To be successful today, our most important role is to be head marketer for the brand called "You" We need other people to think well of us.
 
One of the important components of personal branding is knowing your strengths and weaknesses and which a lot of people are not aware of. Studies show that when you ask a person their weaknesses, and those around them to name their weaknesses, the answers are rarely the same. In other words, some people have no idea how they are perceived by others, or what to do in order to be seen as a greater business asset, or good choice to be put on the "fast track" in the company.

The ideal way to create your personal brand these days is through social networking with such websites as Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter. Consider how you can engage with potential future colleagues to position yourself in the best light.
 
Each day presents a new opportunity for personal branding beyond the people you engage with on a regular basis. Why limit yourself to those within your personal network of acquaintances and co-workers? Networking with social media allows you to cast a wider net and increase personal brand awareness.


Consider starting your own blog, possibly writing about your industry. Get down to specifics and find your niche. By doing so, you're on your way to positioning yourself as a thought leader within your area of expertise or interest. Rather than blogging about a hobby, use the opportunity to work on something that might have an impact on your career later.

Almost as important, try contributing to other blogs and websites and sharing your knowledge, by doing so you will allow you to build a name for yourself

For a while you might find it challenging, and even wonder whether it's all worth the effort, but allow me to assure you it is. Those that stick with it often reap the benefits of their hard work. It's those that keep at it that improve their chances of gaining any recognition.

How might this help your career you ask? By building your personal brand around your career expertise, you'll also develop a name for yourself. And it's those that persevere that have a better chance of controlling their destiny.

Now is the time to start building your personal brand. It's a way to show your knowledge and expertise, while everyone else has their head down hoping their hard work pays off. Sometimes it's more about what you say than what you do.

With some work, you could create demand for yourself in the future. And since branding takes time to build any association with the name, there's no better time than the present to get started.