The Dos and Don'ts of Building Your Brand in Data Analytics

The data world is ever-changing.

AI is evolving every day.

Competition is fierce in this field.

How do you stand out?

A personal brand can set you apart, establish your authority, and open doors to exciting opportunities in the field. However, building a personal brand isn't just about showcasing your skills, it's about doing so in a way that resonates with your audience and aligns with the industry's ethical standards.

In this article, we will explore the essential dos and don'ts of personal branding on LinkedIn in data analytics that I have learned over the past year of creating content.

The Dos:

1. Showcase your expertise: Share your dashboard analysis, your insights on a project, and your accomplishments.
2. Be Authentic: Being authentic on LinkedIn or any social media platform is key to success. But tools like ChatGPT are great enhancers of authenticity because you don't want to sound like a robot. In fact, use them as enhancers when you have a creative block.
3. Network Actively: Attending events, audio events and conferences are a great way to start networking on LinkedIn. Connect with fellow professionals on LinkedIn and get on 1:1 coffee chats. Actively engage on your network's content on LinkedIn.
4. Stay updated: This is easy to say but hard to keep up with the ever-changing technology. I would highly recommend subscribing to just 2 to 3 blogs on data science and carve out 10 minutes to read every day.
5. Collaborate: Collaborating with other data jobseekers/professionals will open up perspectives that you have not thought about. Reach out for mentorship with data professionals or companies that you want to get into.

The Don'ts:

1. Don't Over-Promise yourself: Be realistic when it comes to creating content. Set short goals. If you have not read the book Atomic Habits. by James Clear I highly recommend reading it before you start.
2. Don't get personal in a negative way: Getting negatively involved in a conversation/post will harm you in the long run. Maintain a positive professional online presence. Especially if you are a woman, there are many trolls out there. The only way to deal with it is to VOICE out create a post about it or IGNORE. Not saying it happens only to women, men are trolled too, and now you have options.
3. Don't Spam your network: Don't overdo it. Being mindful of quality over quantity goes a long way. Even if you are posting 1 thought-provoking or educational post once in 3 days is good enough to start with.
4. Don't forget your audience: It's important to understand your target audience. Who are you writing the post for? Is it to get a job? Is it for career growth? Use these questions to start thinking about what your target audience cares about.
5. Don't forget to give credit: Always give credit where it's due. Got a document post from someone else's post tag them and give them credit.

In the end, personal branding in data analytics is a strategic way to advance in your career, get a job, and move into leadership roles. Balancing self-promotion with education is key for growth on this platform. But doing it all alone is tough. Content creation is a lonely journey. That is why I created a community where you can join for FREE. Let's make your mark by standing out from the competition by building your brand.

Stay tuned and see you in the community,

Lekhana