You are qualified, equipped with diplomas, references and years of experience, so you should get hired in a blink of an eye, right?

Yet sometimes it doesn’t work out that way unless you put a little extra time to craft a specific image that attracts that specific group of people you are looking to connect with. That’s what they call “Personal Branding”, and today we’ll give you 5 reasons why a little bit of self-marketing is worth a try.

But first, what is Personal Branding?

Marketing yourself and your career as a brand is more than just about creative business cards and pretty resumes. It’s about a professional presence in person and online – including your skills, your values, and your passions, Personal branding is great for everyone whether you are making your way to your ideal job or if you are an entrepreneur looking to strengthen your business.

“Having a personal brand is important for an entrepreneur now more than ever, CEOs and founders of major companies are coming out to the forefront and connect with their audiences. People connect with people.”

– Kevin Stimpson

1. Build Trust and Authority

Your personal brand explains the “Why” in the “What” of yourself. Having a personal brand helps build trust with your audience, and can position you as an authority and a thought leader in your industry. List the things that drive you, that make you the person you are. By building your personal brand, recruiters will feel more comfortable when they can know what you can do.

Elon Musk has more Twitter followers than 3 of his companies (Tesla, SpaceX, and SolarCity) combined.

Awareness leads to social ease, social connections, and opportunities. Building a personal brand that positions you like the best expert in a specific industry or niche helps you to attract more of your ideal clients. When you’re positioned as an expert, it’s also easier for people to refer clients to you.

Your social media sites may be the first introduction that your new employer will have of you. Starting a personal blog, social media page, having a well-structured Github account, or simply sharing your knowledge on social media can be a great way to showcase your specific topics related to your expertise.

There are 3 things to remember when creating content: be original, be precise, and be well-sourced.

2. Exposure

By clearly establishing your values, your skills, and your ambitions, you will be able to attract recruiters and find your ideal job more easily. Indeed, a well-defined personal brand will resonate with potential employers who will recognize themselves in the message you convey. People are interested in who you are and what you do, most people are more interested in following other people than they are in following specific companies.

Elon Musk, for example, has more Twitter followers than 3 of his companies (Tesla, SpaceX, and SolarCity) combined. He has a strong personal brand that he leverages to increase exposure and attract more customers and opportunities, and the same can be true for you!

Share your thoughts, industry insights, and professional opinion, but also make sure that personal brand you’re building has a personality. Having a personal brand makes it easier for you to be pitched on a media’s editorial table (online publications, magazines, television, radio, podcasts, etc.). Remember, the media is on a constant search for experts that can share their insights with their audience.

3. Stand out from the crowd

You’ve got a great idea, but a famous YouTuber has already been talking about it for two years and there are 80 articles about it on Medium. You want to launch a new project, but there’s already a website about it built by some freelancers. The Gig Economy is here to stay. Even here at GetLinks, we’ve noticed more and more people choosing contract jobs over full time. A creative wave has seized the web for a few years, so it is essential, today more than ever, to differentiate yourself from the crowd. 

The freelance workforce is growing 3 times faster than the overall workforce, and contracting jobs in the Asia Pacific region increased by 22% year-on-year.

Many people are embracing their entrepreneurial spirit, this also means that every self-employed freelancer, independent contractor, and entrepreneur will soon face more competition than they already do. The key to differentiating yourself from your competition is building a personal brand that should reflect not only your personality but also what you have and they don’t.

4. Self-empowerment

Personal Branding allows you to gain confidence while you are developing your own brand. By thinking about your attributes and unique skills, you will have a gain of confidence that you can share with everyone.

Producing content about your values and your career will lead to a lot of support and positive feedback from your surroundings and those close to you in your professional life. If you decide to start developing your brand, remember that you may be attacked by a few negative jabs, and you shouldn’t take it personally.

If you know what your worth and what you can offer, your self-esteem will skyrocket. A well-rounded personal profile will emphasize your strengths and give you a sense of achievement and help navigating your career with confidence.

5. Network

Networking can be a huge benefit when it comes to personal branding. Connecting with like-minded people is one of the best ways to grow professionally, upskill and explore new opportunities. Start by reaching out to other professionals in your space, online an offline. Following industry influencers on social media won’t help unless you reach out.

It’s not always easy to connect with someone in your field. But it’s much to do after meeting them in a group or mentioning them in a discussion. Here’s the good news: you can expand your network and connect with the right people during events and workshops.

GetLinks is all about building a community of like-minded people willing to grow, and we’ve got events for you to attend! A strong personal brand will make it that much easier to build up your web of professional connections.

Market yourself better and you’ll feel better prepared for interviews. Give your potential employers, clients, and connections an easy way to learn about your strengths and values. 

At GetLinks, we strongly believe that constant self-improvement. Build your personal brand, expand your network and explore new job opportunities.

About the Author: Nat Poltavets

Nat is passionate about everything digital. She writes about tech trends, lifelong learning, and emotional intelligence. She enjoys guacamole, as should all right-thinking people, and she knows how to open a PDF.