With the use of social media increasing and job seekers’ online visibility on the rise, building a personal brand can be useful if you wish to get ahead in your career or get noticed in the job market. Just as organisations have their own brand identity, so do individuals. And as competition increases in the job market, taking the time to build your personal brand can be a great advantage to boosting your career.

Here are our tips on how you can build your personal brand, and actions you can take to improve your career opportunities, wherever you are in your journey.

What is a personal brand and why is it important?

In its simplest form, your personal brand is how others perceive and define you based on your experience, skills, strengths, achievements and competencies within a certain community or industry. It can consist of relevant qualifications and training, as well as personality traits and qualities

Your personal brand is a vital tool for succeeding in today’s work environment, with 85 percent of hiring managers saying that a candidate’s personal brand influences their hiring decisions to some extent.

Building a strong brand can help to set you apart from others and increases your chance of being recognised as an expert in your field. It can also lead to greater career opportunities. So, how exactly can you build or improve your personal brand?

Figure out who you are and what you are passionate about

The first step is to identify what you are passionate about and what you enjoy doing, both in your personal and professional life. Make a list of your passions, as well as your hobbies and interests, so that you have a better understanding of who you are as a person. Ask yourself questions such as:

• What motivates me?
• What projects can I spend the most time on without feeling fatigued or bored?
• What interests do I have that will make me a better employee?
• What activities do I not find enjoyment in?
• What are my core values?



Outlining these helps you understand who you are and allows you to promote your true self. It can also give you a clearer indication of whether you’re applying for jobs and industries that are right for you. You may discover that there is a different career path you should be taking. However, it is important early in your career not to be too narrow in your focus, because it may limit your opportunities.

Determine your strengths and what you want to be known for

After figuring out what you’re passionate about, think about your main strengths that will position you differently to others in the job market. Are you a great team player? Do you excel in public speaking? Or are you a creative thinker? Identifying your strengths will help you determine what you want to be known for, so you can then sell yourself to others. It will also highlight the areas in which you may need to improve or gain further knowledge in.

It can also be valuable to ask your friends and family what they believe your strengths are, so you can get a better understanding of how others currently perceive you.

If there’s an area you would like to be known in, but feel you don’t quite yet have the qualifications, it might be worth investing in additional training to help you develop or refine your skills. Otherwise, if you have the time, then volunteering in a space where you can use your skills and expertise is another great way to gain exposure as an expert in your field and looks great on your resume.

Research your desired field and see what others are doing

As you start determining what type of roles you want to pursue, it can be beneficial to research experts in those roles who have strong personal brands. Find out who the thought leaders are in the field you are interested in and seek out their social media profiles, blogs, websites or other platforms where they promote their content.

Examining what other people are doing can give you a benchmark of how you should be developing your personal brand.

Grow and improve your online presence

Before you look to grow your online presence, it is helpful to do a proper clean-up of your social media pages such as Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and LinkedIn. This might include removing any photos that don’t align with the personal brand you want to portray or editing any profile images or summary information that could be outdated.

If you don’t have a LinkedIn account, then creating a profile is the best place to start when it comes to improving your job standing and building your professional network. It’s also a great place to promote your own content on topics you are knowledge about and want to be known for. If employers see people engaging with your content and advice, you’re likely to advance yourself over other candidates.

Build your network and ask for recommendations

To grow and share your personal brand, you need to build your professional network. Use LinkedIn to connect with peers, mentors, hiring managers and experts in your field, so they can then interact, re-share your content and promote your professional brand. It can be useful to ask your peers and work colleagues to endorse you on LinkedIn for a certain skill you’d like to be known for.

As well as utilising online platforms, attending networking events is a good way to connect with people in your field and may lead to possible career opportunities, or at the very least, some helpful career advice.

Don’t be afraid to ask those around you for recommendations and feedback on how and where you can improve, as building your personal brand is an ongoing process.

If this feels overwhelming, don’t feel too disheartened. It is important to note that the best way to build a strong personal brand is to have a good work ethic, professional integrity, and respect for others. However, by starting to implement some of these tips, you will be on your way to developing a unique personal brand. For more useful career information and advice, visit our career resources page, or contact Bayside Group today.