A Guide to Personal Branding
In the military you were trained to fit in, but as a veteran, it’s time to stand out. That’s why you need to build your personal brand.
During your time in the ADF you’ve been trained to fit in, conform and toe the line. But as a veteran, it’s time to stand out. In fact, getting ahead in the civilian workforce relies upon it.
Creating a clear personal brand identity is a powerful way to let prospective employers know what you have to offer that makes you stand out from the crowd. But how do you toot your own horn when you’ve been trained to fall in line?
If you’re looking to build a career, here are some steps you can take to build your personal brand and show the civilian workforce what you’ve got.
What is a personal brand?
A personal brand is essentially the way individuals promote themselves and their careers as brands. It's an ongoing process of developing and maintaining a reputation and impression. While traditional branding is for products, services, or corporations, personal branding is about applying these principles to a person.
Here's what it typically involves:
Identity and Image: It's about how a person presents themselves online and offline. This can include their style, communications, behaviour, and the overall image they project.
Consistency: Like traditional brands, a personal brand gains recognition through consistency in messaging, visuals, and values across all platforms.
Authenticity: A successful personal brand must be genuine. It is built on the true personality, skills, and values of an individual.
Visibility: Building a personal brand involves being visible and accessible in your field or area of expertise. This can mean speaking at events, maintaining an active online presence, or publishing work.
Value Proposition: This is about what unique value an individual can offer. It's what sets them apart from others in their field. We’ll talk about this in greater detail in a moment.
Networking: Building a strong network is a key part of personal branding. It's not only who you know but who knows you and what they know you for.
Content: Creating content such as blogs, videos, podcasts, or social media posts that reflect one's professional interests, values, and expertise helps in establishing thought leadership.
Personal Development: Continuously improving one’s skills and knowledge is part of maintaining a strong personal brand.
Why is personal brand identity important?
Personal branding is important because it can lead to more opportunities such as jobs, industry recognition, and professional networking. It's about managing one's image and reputation as one would manage the brand of a product or company.
By working out what you stand for, you’ll be able to plan for your future career. Your personal brand functions as a filter for the types of jobs that’ll suit you. You’ll be able to identify employers that align with your values and goals and give those that don’t a wide berth. And when it comes to applying for that ideal job, you’ll be able to clearly communicate what you have to offer and why you’re the right candidate for the role.
Read more about why creating a personal brand identity is important in this article from Seek.
What is your unique value proposition?
A person's UVP, or Unique Value Proposition, refers to the distinct and appealing promise they make to stakeholders or employers about the value they offer. It's essentially a statement that clearly outlines what makes an individual different from others, how they can benefit an organisation, and why they are the best choice for a role, project, or opportunity. It's akin to a company's UVP, which defines the unique benefits of its products or services, tailored to the needs of its customers.
For a person, their UVP should highlight their unique skills, experiences, and personal attributes that make them stand out in their professional field or area of expertise. It's about identifying and communicating one's unique strengths and the specific benefits that these strengths can provide to a potential employer or partner.
Crafting a compelling UVP requires self-reflection and a clear understanding of one's own abilities and the needs or challenges of the target audience.
Ask yourself these questions:
What do you have to offer an employer?
What are the ideal companies you’d like to work for, and why?
How will you help them move forward and reach their goals?
What makes you different from your peers and other potential candidates?
That last question is the key, but can be tricky to answer. Talking it out with a trained career professional can help, as they’ll be able to help pinpoint the experiences and skills that make you stand out. Career coaching is one of the free career services available through RSL State Branch employment programs.
Creating your personal brand identity
Once you have addressed the above questions, it’s time to put your answers into practice and craft a personal brand. Here’s how.
Step 1: Define your goals
There’s no doubt you’ve done plenty of goal setting in your time. Now it’s time to put a new set of goals into practice. From your ambitions to the type of work you want to do, this is a chance to decide how you want your professional life to look going forward.
You may want to consider your reasons for leaving the ADF here. What is it you’re looking for that civilian life can offer?
Step 2: Create a narrative
For those in marketing or communications, a story arc won’t be new to you. It’s a powerful tool because it’s human nature to remember stories. Think about someone you admire. Why? It’s because of their story; the way they’ve built their life, how they’ve reached their achievements. When it comes to translating your military career for a civilian employer, creating the narrative around how your past fits into your present will help them remember you.
One thing to remember here: keep it professional. The story is about how your work experience and unique skill set fit into this company and its business goals.
Step 3: Put yourself out there
It’s time to market yourself. Start networking, reaching out to contacts, and showing them who you now. Ensure your online presence is strong. Set up your LinkedIn account and clean up your social media accounts. Set your accounts to private, but remember this isn’t foolproof. Ensure anywhere you are found online fits your newly defined personal and professional brand. Might be time to delete those Oktoberfest photos from 2008!
Step 4: Write your brand statement.
Your personal brand statement can be used in a few ways. Whether it’s via your social media profiles, resume, or online portfolio or website, this is the statement that’s succinct and clearly outlines who you are – the professional you. It’s an elevator pitch that should make people want to learn more about you.
Personal brand examples
Personal branding can be found in a variety of fields and professions. Here are some notable examples across different industries:
Oprah Winfrey: Her personal brand is built on empathy, storytelling, and self-improvement. Through her talk show, network, and philanthropy, she's cultivated a brand that stands for emotional intelligence and empowerment.
Elon Musk: Known for his work with Tesla, SpaceX, and other ventures, Musk’s personal brand is synonymous with innovation, entrepreneurship, and the future of technology and space travel.
Richard Branson: The founder of the Virgin Group is known for his adventurous spirit and disruptive business strategies. His brand is associated with innovation, risk-taking, and customer service.
Michelle Obama: As the former First Lady of the United States, she has developed a personal brand that embodies grace, advocacy for women and girls, and healthy living.
Each of these individuals has cultivated a distinctive image and reputation that is recognised globally. Their personal brands help them to establish credibility, connect with their audience, and achieve their professional goals.
personal brand and finding the right job
Having a clear personal brand aids in finding the right job by aligning your professional identity with your career aspirations, therefore attracting opportunities that are a good fit for your skills and values.
When your personal brand clearly communicates your strengths, passions, and goals, it resonates with like-minded employers and colleagues who share similar values and professional outlooks. This resonance helps in filtering opportunities; jobs that don't align with your brand are less likely to come your way, while those that do are more drawn to you.
In addition, a clear personal brand makes it easier for others to understand where you might fit within their organisations, often leading to recommendations and referrals to roles that are a match for your expertise and personality. By effectively marketing yourself, you become a magnet for the right opportunities, reducing the time and effort spent on fruitless applications and interviews.
In essence, a well-defined personal brand doesn't just make you more visible in the job market—it also serves as a beacon, guiding you towards roles that will be most fulfilling and where you can make the most impact.
HOW THE RSL can help
Need some one-on-one coaching to develop your personal brand? If you are seeking employment or considering a career change, you may benefit from some of the services available through RSL employment programs. These career services are free for veterans and the spouses of current and former ADF members and can assist with all aspects of career development and job hunting.
Want to see more content like this? Find resources for job-hunters here