Deloitte Alumni Career Development Resources

Developing your Brand: What do you want to be known for?

Tracy Angona, Transition Assistance Coach, Evolving Workforce, Deloitte Services LP

You may not realize it, but you already have a personal brand.  In other words, your reputation - what you are known for.  Every interaction we have forms an impression, and each of these impressions influences our brand.  Presentations, conversations, even chance encounters can impact your brand.  And, whether you like it not, your online activity becomes part of your brand, too. If you are quoted in an article or comment on someone’s post, that may become part of what you’re known for. These and other factors make up your personal brand.

Why is cultivating and managing your personal brand so important for your career?

Having an established, professional brand can enhance your job search. Taking time to unearth the true you can make it easier to consistently live your personal brand.  This makes you authentic, and authenticity could be a top quality that hiring managers look for in a candidate.  With a consistent brand, you may even attract what you need to achieve your dream job without having to "wrestle with the universe" to acquire it. Who wouldn't want that?

A personal brand may make you easier to find by a recruiter or hiring manager.  If you have consistent attributes on your resume and social media profiles, recruiters may be able to tell your story to their hiring managers to help influence a positive outcome.

Finally, establishing your personal brand allows you to quickly answer the question “What do you do?” when you are a cocktail party or in line at the grocery store.  Your brand is not necessarily what you do but who you are.  It’s a more compelling story than a laundry list of responsibilities or tasks.  With a brand statement, you are focused on the value you bring – what differentiates you from others.  After all, we are human beings, not human doings.

Here are a few questions you can ask yourself to help develop your brand statement:

1.       How would your family, friends, and colleagues describe you?  What are you known for?

2.       How do you want to show up?  Does it align with who you are now?  If not, what steps will help you get there?

3.       How are you unique from other candidates?  What differentiates you?

4.       What are your innate talents, strengths and preferences?  How can you apply them in your career?

Your brand is not static.  It will evolve as your skills, abilities, and preferences evolve over time.  But you can continually nurture your brand – among everyone you know and meet.  Once you are comfortable with your true self, you can align with your purpose and share it with the world.