Webinar: How to Build Your Personal Brand

Whether you’re applying for internships and placements, or entering the graduate market, building an attractive personal brand is key. It’s the difference between a good candidate and a great one.

And with several employers reducing their student and graduate recruitment due to the fragile economic climate, a strong personal brand has never been more important.

Read on for a quick summary of the 8 key ingredients to help you put together a great personal brand.

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Want to skip to the good bit? Scroll to the bottom of this page to watch a free ‘personal branding’ webinar. It’s packed with more in-depth insights to help you fire up your employability.

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But first, what is a personal brand?

Think a personal brand is just about how you present yourself to others?

A personal brand is not like an Instagram profile. Instead, think of a personal brand as the intersection of how you present yourself to others AND how you are perceived by that audience.

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#1 Authenticity

It’s tempting to change yourself to fit what an employer is looking for. But no job advert expects prospective candidates to tick every single box. So it’s okay if you don’t.

Being authentic means quite simply, embracing your real and honest self.

Demonstrate this by:

• Not changing the language or vocabulary you use to sound more ‘intelligent’. 
• Being honest about your strengths without exaggerating what you can do. 
• Acknowledging areas where you can improve. This shows you have the skill of self-evaluation.

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#2 Content creation

Content creation is more than just writing a blog or uploading a video. It’s about how you ‘create noise’ around what have you to offer. Your contribution needs to be relevant, insightful and offer something of value to your peers in the industry. 

The content you put out there needs to be disruptive. Which means thinking outside the box.

How can you attract people to your content, convince them to engage with it and then take action? One way to do this is by being unique. Don’t be afraid to share your individual insights, personality and experiences.

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#3 Networking

It’s great to have content to share. But without an audience of useful contacts, you won’t be able to ‘create noise’ around what you have to offer. That’s why networking, and doing it right, is crucial.

Did you know that 85% of jobs are filled through networking? But, 1-in-4 people don’t network at all…

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#4 Authority

Authority allows you to gain credibility in your field and become recognisable as a thought leader. 

But, authority isn’t something you assign to yourself. It is gained when your audience recognise that you have something important to say, give or do. 

To build authority, have a think about which areas you can contribute to in a way that others can’t. How can your insights add to the wider discussion? How can you share these ideas through disruptive content creation? 

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#5 Storytelling

In order to be compelling, you should use storytelling. So, whether you are filling out a job application or at an interview, always incorporate some sort of story to demonstrate your skills. 

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#6 Originality

Originality involves thinking outside the box. How can you be the pink (not grey) elephant in the room? Practising this will ensure you stand out when applying for work experience or graduate jobs.

There are two aims you should aspire to meet in any application process. Firstly, to ensure an employer remembers you. And secondly, to convince them to hire you over any other candidate. 

And going beyond the expected norm is a great way to achieve these two objectives.

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#7 Consistency

Did you know that 70% of employers use social media to screen candidates before their interviews?

That means your offline and digital personas need to be consistent. The way you would present yourself to an employer at an interview must match your online presence.

Time after time employers meet great candidates. But if those candidates have undesirable digital footprints, their brands fall apart.

Consistency also applies to content. Sharing quality content frequently is a great way to build your brand. By doing so, your brand voice, online image and passion for the industry will quickly become recognisable. And that’s how a good brand is built.

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#8 Self-awareness

Self-awareness is a soft skill that employers often struggle to find amongst students. But being able to analyse a situation and respond accordingly is vital in the workplace. 

Have a think about where your strengths lie. What skills do you have to offer a business? How can you help them innovate? Similarly, think about areas you’re lacking in. Where can you make improvements? 

Making those improvements will show potential employers you are a well-rounded candidate. Throughout the application process, you should aspire to develop your own style. Figure out what works for you and mould the process to match your strengths.

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Watch the full webinar here (it’s free)

Click below and watch the full 25-minute webinar to find out:

1. How RateMyPlacement can support you with taking the first steps in your career.

2. More on the 8 key ingredients you need to build your personal brand (with examples).

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Now that you have the 8 key ingredients and have watched the webinar, it’s time to put your knowledge into action and start building your personal brand. And before you know it, you’ll be flying. 

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