We are CEOs of our own companies: Me Inc – Tom Peters.

By taking that time to learn what is important to you and how you view yourself, will inevitably help you achieve your goals and also discover more about your personal brand. We often hear candidates discuss personal brand in the context of LinkedIn and social media, and during the job search, Yes controlling your brand narrative will of course benefit you (if you are job searching), but its importance runs far deeper. Your personal brand is your personality at work, in meetings and with your colleagues. It is hard to maintain a consistent identity day-to-day if you aren’t sure what you stand for or what kind of impact you want to make.

“If you don’t actively build your personal brand, you don’t have any control over it, and other people (colleagues and future employers) will form their own beliefs about what you stand for.”— Kajabi

Personal branding starts with a self-assessment

Without self-reflection on who you are, how can you decide where you want to go in your career and how to get there? How will you gain confidence in figuring out what your unique skills are, and what kind of employer might be interested in hiring you for them? Your personal brand communicates who you are. You have a personal brand whether or not you are aware of it. It is how people see you and how they would describe you.

Identifying and developing your personal brand isn’t the same as making a list of dreams – it is a deeper self-reflection. Think about your past experiences in work, and life, as well as the interests, skills, knowledge, talents, goals, and preferences. Critically reflect on these experiences to reveal your authentic self, there is no point in creating a fake image of yourself, your brand stems from a real understanding of yourself.

Interested in exploring your inner-brand, ask yourself these questions:

• What situations bring out the best in you?
• What do I have that others need/is of value to others?
• What aspects of my performance, and/or experience might need further development?
• What do you find most rewarding about your work?
• What do others seem to think you do very well?

Knowing yourself is key, as your personal brand will become less about promoting or selling yourself to employers, and more about defining and communicating your value to colleagues, industry connections, potential employers and business partners.

I am seeing more demand from candidates who want to better understand their capabilities, experience, and their brand, so I’ve got something in the works that can help…. watch this space.