Personal Branding 101 – Questions To Ask To Develop Your Brand

Wikipedia describes personal branding as: “the practice of people marketing themselves and their careers as brands”. To many, this task seems daunting. The average career professional isn’t used to thinking of themselves as a product or brand but with employers increasingly using social media to vet applicants, knowing, developing and promoting your brand is an essential part of career management.

So, where to begin?

Start by doing an exhaustive self-exploration. Ask yourself, family, peers, and others in your network the following questions:

What single words of strength best describe me?

How would I describe my communication style?

How would I describe my leadership style?

What am I expert at or renowned for?

What is the core message I want to express?

What can I promise to people that work with me?

Who are my customers and/or clients?

What makes me unique compared to my peers or other job applicants?

What is the legacy I have left with each employer?

Do I have a value proposition? Does it need to be refreshed?

Do I have an online identity and does it clearly reflect my strengths?

What can I say to ignite attention and promote my career expertise?

Is there a consistent theme in my performance appraisal feedback or career testimonials?

How can I express and optimize my personal brand?

Do I have a career management portfolio and do all the documents match the image I want to portray? (Resume, cover letter, online profiles, networking business cards, video bio, etc…)

Once you have compiled your answers to these questions, promote your personal brand in all your career management tools beginning with your resume and online profiles. Taking the time to define your unique promise of value elevates your personal brand status and career management to new levels.

Read more: 5 Quick Tips For Your Personal Brand