Podcast: Download
Today we touch on a topic that is especially important for women in the working world. Women in leadership is something we don’t see as often. Despite their qualifications, women ask why they are being passed over for promotions. Times like this provide a great branding opportunity. Many of us find the need to spruce up our brand and market our personal brand.
Taking advantage of available opportunities to market yourself is the difference between a person who gets the job and the person who doesn’t. Self promotion is something that has to be done. We cannot rely on others to promote ourselves, nor can we allow work to speak for us. Effective careers are built on interest, possessing knowledge and competence for effective performance, and taking advantage of all opportunities. A personal brand supports all three of these. Opportunities are created with preparation and self confidence. Having the knowledge and skill along with self confidence and preparation don’t mean anything without self promotion. This creates a recognition gap that leaves you unaccredited.
Women need to take more credit for the contributions they make. If not, someone else less deserving will take credit for your work. We also need to engage more in discussion about what they are doing, and show enthusiasm for what they do. Talking to people, even just for a minute, keeps people engaged. Getting involved gets you talking to others and gets you more places than staying quiet. We must be constantly self promoting, talking about what we do and expanding our presence. Quantifiable information is essential to personal branding and self promotion as well. Showing the monetary value you brought is a way to brand yourself even further. Personal branding brings your contributions and capabilities to the forefront.
Our personal brand is what we use to identify our value to a company or organization. Your personal brand is what you want people to think about when they hear your name. Personal branding is always a work in progress, but is something that can be the difference between the person who gets promoted and the one who doesn’t.
