You are your own brand

The job market in 2024 demands more than just a polished CV. With unemployment rising in the UK , there is stiff competition for all vacancies. To be successful, it’s important to understand your personal brand and how it can be leveraged for better opportunities.?

What if you would ideally change career? Can you rebrand yourself at any stage? We say yes – but it won’t necessarily be easy. Here we share our top strategies for overcoming self-doubt and navigating this journey with purpose.?

Why is personal branding important to your career move?

Personal branding will influence what other people think about you. Encompassing your unique skills, experiences, values and personality, it allows you to tell your story across multiple formats and position yourself at the forefront of your industry.??

In today’s hyper-competitive job landscape, personal branding has never been more important. With 91% of employers relying on digital platforms to evaluate candidates, a strong personal brand becomes a strategic imperative, differentiating you from competitors.

4 challenges of rebranding yourself in a competitive market

Rebranding yourself in a competitive market is a daunting task, requiring careful planning and execution to overcome various challenges. For example:

1. You could face resistance from those familiar with your previous professional image, requiring proactive efforts to reshape perceptions
2. Gaining trust and credibility in a new professional identity requires consistent messaging, which is challenging in a crowded job market
3. Rapid shifts in industry trends necessitate continuous learning and refinement to ensure your rebrand remains competitive
4. Aligning your online presence with your rebrand is time-consuming and can pose many logistical and strategic challenges

So here are 7 tips for crafting a strong personal brand

1. Find your authentic voice

There are many things your personal branding should be – memorable, consistent, authoritative. But above all else, it should be unique and authentic. Take time to introspect and figure out how you want to present yourself. Reflect on your strengths, motivations and passions, and nail down what makes you distinctive

Perhaps you have niche market insights or a talent for storytelling. Whatever it is, articulate it clearly across all channels, from your CV to social media to your website.?

2. Identify your niche

Your personal brand isn’t for everyone. It’s meant to solve a specific set of problems for a specific type of audience.

Ask yourself: who is this for? What specific niche are you serving? Then tailor your messaging so that it resonates with the right people and convinces them of your value.

3. Establish a consistent online presence

Like it or not, your online presence shapes your personal branding. A strong LinkedIn profile is, of course, the cornerstone of a compelling online presence – but so is your website and other social media platforms, like Instagram, TikTok or YouTube.

To reinforce your brand identity, ensure your messaging and branding elements are uniform across all platforms. Being consistent in how and how often you post content is equally important, as this helps you foster trust, cultivate a community and show people that you’re active in your industry.

4. Tell your story

Your story is what takes you from an on-screen persona to someone that people connect with on a deeper level. Share your journey, its challenges, the lessons you’ve learnt and the values that drive you. This fosters trust, authenticity and an affinity with your audience.

Remember to reiterate different versions of your story throughout your marketing channels, from social bios and cover letters to blog posts, videos and even investor pitches.?

5. Provide value through content creation

Content creation enhances your personal brand by showcasing your expertise, presenting you as a thought leader and encouraging an open dialogue with your community. Not only that, consistent content creation boosts your visibility and authority, and that means it becomes easier to attract potential opportunities and employers.

Whether it’s online articles, downloadable guides, short videos or social posts, make sure you provide content that answers the needs of your audience and strengthens your position.?

6. Grow your community?

Networking should be a key part of your strategy. Genuine connections are the backbone of a strong personal brand. Engage with your community authentically by replying to comments, getting involved in conversations and sharing the work of others.

If you are nervous about networking there are lots of great tips online and a short session with a coach might help to build confidence.

Don’t be afraid to break the ice. Reach out to industry peers, ask questions and seek opportunities to interact with them on a personal level. By engaging in this way, you foster a sense of community and give your name more mileage.

7. Keep recalibrating

Continuous improvement is essential for ensuring your brand remains strong over time. Seek feedback from mentors, peers and your audience to gain insights into how you and your personal brand is perceived and how you might improve.

Additionally, track the performance of your content and engagement efforts. Identify what’s working well, what needs tweaking and iterate accordingly. By being adaptive, you can continuously evolve your personal brand to better align with your audience and meet employer expectations.

Overcoming fear and doubt

When changing your personal branding, it’s easy to fall into the trap of comparing yourself to others, of not feeling good enough, of seeing yourself as an imposter. This is normal, but it’s important that you overcome your self-doubt and fear of failure so that you don’t sabotage what has every potential of becoming a life-changing move.

Here are some tips you can use:

• Set realistic goals and break them down into manageable steps, celebrating each accomplishment along the way
• Build a support network of friends and peers who provide encouragement and guidance
• Practise self-compassion and remember that any setbacks you experience are just part of the learning process
• Cultivate resilience by viewing challenges as opportunities for personal development, allowing setbacks to fuel your determination rather than destroy it

At City CV we have helped guide hundreds of individuals through the process of career transition. If you follow our social media profiles you will have seen some of the success stories and testimonials. It is absolutely possible and a strong personal brand that is truly you, will be key.