Today professionalism is the keyword. Businesses hunt for staffs that are professional. Customers hunt for businesses and services that are professional. Professionalism is actually a package that includes various features that contribute to the employees success and through him (or her), business success. You cannot have a professionally run business without professional staff to run it. So how exactly does a company find ‘professional’ staff?

Why personal branding

Obviously, a company or business cannot find professional staff unless they (prospective employees) project themselves as professionals. To project yourself as a professional, you need to brand yourself. Personal branding actually began with Hollywood actors and slowly caught on to politicians and finally to top corporate CEO’s. Today, Brand positioning is something that any prospective employee undertakes; albeit one with a vision of achieving great heights.

Tips to personal branding

Tip # 1 – Start with the discovery

Discover your passion and think if it matches a Brand development strategy. You may have a passion for photography but unless you are seeking employment as a photographer or a photo-journalist or a post that requires photography as a skill, your passion in photography would not count for much. Therefore think deep and find out something that you are passionate about and which would be a very useful trait to an employer. Are you intelligent – do you have a documented high IQ? Think of other similar traits you might possess. For example, have you mastered something that might be of use to a business? This will be your unique selling proposition or USP.

Tip # 2 – Create your personal brand

With the discovery of your USP, you should get cracking with your Brand development program Toolkit. The personal branding toolkit consists of a business card, a portfolio, professional resume and your wardrobe.

Your personal card should contain your name (obviously), followed by your brand statement / USP e.g. “4-Stroke Combustion Engine Expert” or “Branding Keynote Speaker” and so on. Additionally, the card should contain your contact information. Logo is optional.

A portfolio is required to showcase your achievement and your past clients or projects. It is a backup to your USP claim.

A professional resume should always be tailor made for each job application. It should highlight everything but be short and to the point. HR managers are notorious for being short on time. There are many websites that provide tips on how to create professional Brand building strategies resumes – be sure you master it.


Tip # 3 – Improve your online presence

Our third tip to Brand building methods success is to improve your online presence. The ideal way to achieve this is through blogging. The topics you blog on should ideally be related to your USP. Additionally, you should provide a menu link to download / view your resume.

Apart from blogs, there are several online question-answer type forums. Users post questions to some problem or the other in the hopes that someone reading it might have a solution to the problem. Be a member of forums that are in your line of expertise. You do not have to answer every question – just answering one question a week will boost your online visibility and strengthen your claim to your USP.