3 Reasons Why You Should Build Your Personal Brand

3 Reasons Why You Should Build A Personal Brand

Personal Branding is a word that gets thrown around a lot. Simply put, your personal brand is your online and offline reputation. It can also be described as what you want to be known for.

Here are some benefits of establishing your personal brand:

Developing your own identity outside of work

A lot of people get a job and let that consume them, let that become their life, and they don’t know who they are outside of their role. I’ve seen this happen time and time again. And then boom, layoffs come, or they’re just outright fired, and they don’t know what to do and are scattering, trying to put their lives back together. 

I remember graduating from college and not knowing who I was outside of being a student, so now I had to recreate my own identity. I had to get creative. This took me on a journey of discovery- going to networking events, solo dates, personal development, and so much more. In the process, I  chose to share the journey. My vulnerability and authenticity allowed people to see me as relatable. This was the beginning of me building my personal brand.

Creating opportunities through storytelling

I’ve always been a huge advocate for community. Nothing in this life is possible without the support of community, and this is why building your personal brand is important. When things start to go downhill, and you are looking for new opportunities, not just work-related but partnerships or speaking opportunities, whatever it may be, if you consistently put yourself in people's faces and let them know what you’re looking for, you will always be the first person to come to mind when an opportunity comes up. 

Through sharing your stories and connecting with community, you’ll be afforded opportunities that wouldn’t be afforded to you if you didn’t have a brand.

Reputation and Trust

Having a personal brand can allow people to see you as an authority in whatever area you’re in; it can allow you to become trustworthy. In this day and age, when everything seems to be embellished or make-believe, it’s refreshing to see folks being authentically themselves and sharing their story. 

Don’t focus on whether people will judge you for your lived experiences or that your post needs to be perfect; just get started. When I started my blog, I made mistakes all the time. I still do, but people still refer to my blog posts and how they made them feel. Someone brought up a blog post they loved during a job interview. I wasn’t expecting this, but it felt nice that people found my work valuable.

I’ve gotten every job I've had because people knew me, whether they met me in college or online via LinkedIn. I built a strong personal brand, and people saw me as a trusted person who could get the job done. Build your brand, and years down the line, it’ll do the heavy lifting for you, getting you opportunities you didn't even know you wanted or needed. 

Building a brand goes beyond the glitz and glam of being invited to places. If you’re someone who’s seeking to create a big impact in this world, this is one way you can go about it—your personal brand.