What are the best ways to develop a strong personal brand in your early career?

Let your WORK do the TALKING. Your name (WORK) will follow you wherever you go. You might NOT be "liked" by everyone BUT do NOT give anyone a reason to question your WORK ethic or ability to drive RESULTS!

If you have defined goals in your early career that’s awesome but not a necessity to develop your personal brand. Having an open mind about your career direction gives you that all-important growth mindset. Instead spend some time understanding your key strengths and passions. Focus and why you do what you do, and why you’re successful in your own special way. This is likely to adapt and evolve over time, but being clear on your passions and values will give you a framework for your personal brand, as well as a compass to navigate challenging situations.

I am not in agreement with the notion of a personal brand. People are not products to be marketed. The temptation is to seek to create a you that isn't YOU. While you may be able to create a brand, a persona, that is not you.....and many do.....sustaining a fake brand is not possible even in the medium term. A good reputation is hard one and easily lost. So my key advice is to know yourself, which is not easy especially for the young. When you do be authentic be....YOU.

One thing that is universally valued at any level is a willingness to solve problems. People who are willing to step up / step in will always have a higher intrinsic value to an organisation under any circumstance in comparison to just the doers etc.

Early in your career, delivering consistently excellent results is paramount. It's at this stage that your reputation is first established, and consistent success builds trust and positions you for future growth. Starting with this results-oriented mindset will empower you to establish a strong personal brand as a reliable achiever.

What is expertise? Is it knowledge? Is it skills? Is it experience? Is it judgement? Even 'experience ' can be misleading as e.g. 5 years doing a job is not 5 years experience unless you have learned and 'grown' in each of those 5 years. I have an 'equation' which may help. Capability = Talent + Knowledge + Experience + Judgement. Talent, being what you are born with. Build your Capability

Integrity and hard-skills are equally important. A lot of people know how to work but what separates you from the rest is your values, strong ethics and doing what you say you will do. I have come across many professionals who talk a lot about very innovative ideas but in actually doing something about it they lack behind.

It's important to show your expertise early on in the career and let it be known to the senior stakeholders by actively participating in company events. Whether it is the technical or management skills, it should be evident from your work and also be presentable where you can get an option to get the centerstage. Steve Ballmer, former CEO of Microsoft, addressed the Oxford Union student and said, I joined Microsoft as a Sales Guy because I could wear suits and loved to speak to the people. That was one very specific skill he believed helped early in his career as he asked for such role which will him him to exhibit his true potential. There are numerous individuals who knew early on what to do in their career and reached their peak.

Fantastic advice! If I could add anything about building your personal brand early in your career it would be to join or volunteer to participate in relevant industry organizations or events and contribute. I would try to become known or recognized in your chosen industry so that others see you as an expert. Be someone who participates and collaborates for the greater good so that others benefit from your knowledge.

First and foremost, determine your value system. It will help you both professionally as well as personally. What are your core values that you stand by, no matter what (that's your differentiator) What are the other good to have? For instance, if your core values are sustainability, integrity, well being and secondary being accountability, select an organization and role whose value system closely matches or aligns with your core values. It will help you have a fulfilling experience and last longer vs feeling frustrated.

People will not have any idea about what you do unless you tell them. Every great business invests in marketing to build their brand so why not do the same thing for your own brand? You don't need a formal marketing plan, just write down the key elements about yourself that are most important to you and that you want people to think/feel when they see your content. That becomes your personal brand guide! It's important to be your authentic self when pushing any content into the world. If you act like a human, people WILL resonate with your content. Don't over complicate it, keep it simple and keep the message straight forward. Then it becomes progress over perfection, the best way to learn and get better is to simply start trying things

Another great way to be visible is with fabulous promotional product giveaways or customized uniforms for your team! So many of my clients reach out to me for ideas! All I need is the number of participants and a budget and timeline ??

Be open-minded, transparent and available.Never be shy for asking questions, feedback, referrals. Expand your network just like you water plants and bear fruits same way present yourself with confidence

Requesting feedback and asking questions can be really good for visibility. They're both also good for your career. By ensuring you are asking for both, you're being seen by people trying to grow, to do/be better and that you can use your voice. Pretty powerful stuff!

This is an old but strong trait. Always value your networks, it is the best investment. I personally have a network where I’m able to reach out and seek for feedback, advice and support

Never underestimate the power of social connections and networking. People often fear the word "networking" and talk about it like it's a very formal and complicated process. The truth is, it could not be simpler. Find professionals (on LinkedIn) who are peers, thought leaders in your space, or people who are already doing the things that you would like to do in your career and just reach out! The key is to be bold and be yourself, simply tell them why you're reaching out and you'd love to spend 20-30 minutes learning more about them and what they do. Most people love talking about themselves so you'll be surprised how easy it is!

Being consistent / trustworthy is really important for building your network. Being seen as someone you can trust means you will be recommended by others. That's genuinely how I've met a lot of my network "I was told you were someone who could help". I am my authentic self at work. There's different schools of thought on this, but I find it challenging to be other. However, u have found it has worked for me. My genuine, honest reaction / responses have humanised me to so many people. It builds rapport and trust quickly. I think events such as volunteering and working with other business areas on projects is important too. It puts you in touch with different people and knowledge.

One thing I have found very helpful is building trust, be trustworthy and participate in opportunities-mentoring, volunteering as these open doors to wider world. Engage with your surroundings- clients, colleagues, society and environment

In my opinion Embracing a growth mindset lays the foundation for continuous improvement and adaptation, fostering resilience in the face of challenges.. This coupled with hard work and willingingness to step out of comfort zone opens door to new opportunities and experiences that contribute significantly to one’s personal and professional growth. These qualities not only shape a robust personal brand but also resonate with authenticity and a proactive approach to personal and career development.

Change is new constant in today’s ecosystem. Everything is growing at a faster speed than expected…new technologies, advancements so question yourself- can you survive with what you were doing? Answer is No…be the change live the change and keep growing your brand value

Say yes, stay genuine. Regardless of the business, employers appreciate collaborative contribution and progressive results. Early on in a career you're often finding your feet. Opening yourself up to new experiences while staying true to yourself can help you nudge through the hurdles, build your experience and more importantly trust across your network, and then chart your path from there. And remember, have some fun along the way.

Be honest, in your dealings and to yourself. Be prepared to roll your sleeves up and do the ‘not so glamorous’ tasks. Remember EVERYTHING you do at this stage of your career, and throughout, is a learning experience and will benefit your future career. Don’t set your expectations too high in terms of rewards, your time will come and the fruits of your labour will too. Leaders recognise leaders, and will give future leaders the space to grow, and make allowances for mistakes, they are part of life enrichment. Be humble towards others and proud of your achievements in the right amounts and times. Egoism is not a pretty thing! Oh, I forgot, important edit … remember to laugh, a lot. Humour is critical, if you’re not happy move on.

Seize opportunities, take up challenging roles/work Build relationships with stakeholders. Stay authentic. Establish credibility. Add value and create an impact. Learn and think business backwards. Stay focused

Look, 21st Century is a technology era make sure you have a branding much before the university by keeping your passion high and sharing your achievements and thoughts through professional and social media.

To me building a personal brand comes from your ability to take end to end ownership and responsibility. This helps build trust and over time you can leverage that to make meaningful connections.