How can you develop a personal brand when transitioning to a new career?

The biggest personal brand based on my personal experience is getting the work done. When u are assigned or u volunteer for something, we need to ensure we get the task done within the agreed timeline. Here is where you build your credibility and trust within your circle. In addition to the credibility, communication is a key attribute - many of us fail to realize the power of communication and articulation. We need to ensure we are equipped with amazing communication and articulation skills.

A personal brand is easily boiled down to one thing; character. That which characterizes you will be your known identity or perceived identity in your personal and professional sphere. To be "characterized" by something, positively or negatively, is something already happening. The question is both a matter of intention and alignment. What you define as your core values are only 50% of the focus. Living by those values and following through on them is where the real "personal brand" shines through. Tools like Clifton's Strengths are a good starting point but it takes a specific focus on narrowing down specific values and profound honesty to then shape those into habits that lead to a highly developed character and in this case "brand".

Before considering a brand, look for how well you know yourself. Most people jump on the personal branding wagon when their identity is dependent on their job. That's a very risky move to your reputation. You want to position yourself based on who you really are not the projection that you want others to see you as. You want to do the work of clarifying your values, beliefs, passions, purpose, defining your identity outside of your work so you have a depth from which to speak when it comes to your personal brand.

Discovering your TRUE YOU is the key step in building your personal brand. Here are key initiatives to begin with: 1. Accredited certification 2. Relevant Experience 3. Building Testimonials 4. Credible Awards & Recognitions 5. Digital presence in your expert areas Having these achievements will bring your portfolio into top 10% among your field talents.

Before embarking on a career transition it's essential to conduct thorough research into the new field you're considering. Bring along your established personal brand from your previous career ensuring it remains a central focus. Highlight your accomplishments and the skills that distinguish you, communication, problem-solving abilities, teamwork, creativity, critical thinking, and effective leadership. It's crucial to integrate these qualities into your new career path. Engage with industry experts by participating in conferences, workshops, and seminars to establish your presence and deepen your understanding of the new field. Strive to contribute meaningfully and continually expand your knowledge and skills within your chosen profession.

Once you understand your own values, strengths, your own USPs (unique selling points), then research the market you want to set your brand in. Remember, You don’t have to pretend to be someone you’re not. You just need to put some thought into how others can see the real you. A personal brand should be authentic, not a put on. A personal brand should be the story that pulls together your strengths, accomplishments, and value so that people who have never met you feel like they know you.

Understand who are you serving, what are their pain points and where are they on their journey. Example, if the target audience are start-up entrepreneurs, their pain point may include marketing their products more effectively to their target customers using the digital space. Their brand should speak the language of the target audience. Research industry trends and how competitors position themselves.

Building your personal branding online has now become as important as building it offline. I would even say that online personal branding is to some extent more important as it embeds your offline work as well. Help your first, second and third connections know you better. Become visible and then you would attract instead of go get all the time.

Every interaction.. You are creating the reputation .. Question is you want to be on the driver seat and make sure you are driving the story, or you want chance, or algorithms to be doing it for you In this context, Personal branding is more critical than ever, playing a key role in building that brand, elevating the social reputation of what you bring to the table. When you are looking for a job, ?87% of recruiters and hiring manager are checking your online presence, according to one of the HR statistics report. When I am talking about your "personal branding" I am referring to establishing and promoting what you stand for in your life , and oh well digital life. When I search for your name, what do I get about you.

Your digital presence speaks about who you are. It must be aligned to what you stand for, your achievements and strengths. In updating your portfolio, it must showcase the value you will bring and results you are driving.

Creating visibility is an important aspect of building/ consolidating personal brand. Till there is an alignment between what you are trying to create as your personal brand and how others see you currently, there's still work left to be done on your personal brand. Identify the content and channel preference of your audience and then appropriately reach out to them. Showcasing yourself as an expert in the domain by being consistent in creating, contributing and collaborating to the knowledge base across different available popular forums will establish your desired brand. Most importantly, keep seeking feedback from stakeholders in every possible way to identify the need to calibrate/ recalibrate your brand to align it better.

Seek to add value through sharing information, statistics and tips. Incorporate your brand in articles, webinars and newsletters. Connect with the audience consistently.

When you are entering a new field, or even a new job, finding like-minded people to collaborate with is key. An easy way to network one-on-one is to look at grabbing coffee or lunch with others. If your schedule (or distance) doesn't allow for that, hopping on a zoom call can also be a great way to network and build connections with others. Be sure to look for and suggest natural ways to collaborate. Think through the lens of the person you are working with to come up with ideas that resonate with them.

Attending networking events is a good way to build new connections in the field. Establish visibility and credibility first rather than selling. This may be a good avenue to collaborate with others or provide referrals. Come with a mindset to help others and see this pay off in the long run.

To be authentic requires knowing yourself and learning how to regulate your emotions so that your authenticity is useful to you and others.

Consistency is key, you dont want to be on social platforms once an year, as they say, people need constant nudges to remember your value. remember this framework while post: Who & Why: Who you are and what you stand for intersected with what your company, role and career needs What: Your pillars and narrative Where: Your channels, audiences and formats

It is important to make the new brand of this executive being seen, felt and experienced. Large scale town halls will help to create presence which align to the personal brand, but, very importantly to also zoom into one on one session with direct reports to exhibit behaviors of this brand. Last but not least, move to the ground, explore opportunities to create touch points with people at the ground level, show case your personal brand by personal grooming, behaviors and habits.

In my opinion, heres the summary, for building a brand in new area, Have a focus Be genuine Tell a story Be consistent Be ready to fail Create a positive impact Follow a successful example Live your brand Let other people tell your story Leave a legacy

Your personal brand shouldn't change for a new career - your personal brand is you. Who you are, your values, ethics, what's important to you. These should be consistent not industry specific. When looking at a career change, the career/business should align to your values and your brand. Sometimes you don't have the luxury of everything lining up - bills need paying - this is where you need to decide what's more important or what you can accept (give and take). The thing to remember is your job is what you do, not who you are.