Personal Brand

How to build your work brand

How to build your work brand

Tuesday, 05 March 2019

Creating a personal Work Brand is no longer a nice to havebut an essential tool for achieving your ambitions, especially as the face of your business. Helen Kimber, Managing Partner at headhunters, The Longhouse, explains how to begin . . .

 

 In my job as headhunter, I meet many people and it’s no accident that the most successful people I know are those who not only are the brightest, most skilled and brilliant but those who are also the ‘radiators’ and not the ‘drains’. 

 

They are individuals who others wish to spend time with. Individuals who not only invest in people and their industry, but in their own learning, the impression they give, and in ensuring that there is a little something about themselves that makes them different: they all have a Work Brand.

The need to build a Work Brand means that we all have to invest in ourselves beyond the day-to-day, considering what we want to be, how we want to appear to others and how we want to be known and remembered.  Here’s how to start creating your own Work Brand:

 

  1. DEFINE WHO OR WHAT YOU WANT TO BE

This is fundamental - are you an influencer, a maverick, wise and authoritative or all of the above? Once you clarify who you want to be, you can then align yourself with the values you perceive to be central to that identity.

 

  1. BE AUTHENTIC

Make sure you truly do believe in these values - if you pretend, people will see through you and won’t trust you. And be proud of your personality - let your quirks come out and people will remember you better. 

 

  1. ENSURE YOUR TECHNICAL SKILLS ARE UP TO SCRATCH

There’s no point, for example, wanting to be known as a digital whizz if your social media accounts are dormant. Make sure you have the skills to be the best in your field and, if they need brushing up, seek out a good course.

 

  1. NETWORK STRATEGICALLY

Choose the events you go to carefully and strategically – the current, most fashionable places are not always the best places to learn and develop. And think carefully about the company you keep - who you have worked with and who you keep in touch with will reflect on you. Remember good and clever people attract good and clever people.

 

  1. COLLECT MENTORS

Find those you respect, identify with and can learn from. Make time to meet with them and value what they offer. Listen, learn, follow their career and ask advice – they will help hone your Work Brand.

 

  1. BE GENEROUS 

This matters and is much undervalued. Be generous with your time and effort, listen to people and help out beyond your responsibilities. And make an effort with the people you value - be proactive by suggesting meeting up, share interesting articles, introduce people you think could help them. Be interesting and interested – and always authentic.

 

Helen Kimber is Managing Partner at The Longhouse www.longhouselondon.co.uk

 

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