Honor Society Foundation Professional Network Book: How to Build Your Personal Brand

Thanks to social media, readily available technology, and smartphones in our pockets, personal branding has never been more important. You are a brand, whether you want to embrace it or not. As a brand, people are consuming you, your content, and your message on a daily basis. Choosing to leverage that brand for your own personal and professional advancement is one of the smartest things you could be doing today, which is why we want to explore the nuances of creating an advantageous brand, made just for you.

According to a CareerBuilder survey, 70% of employers use social media to screen candidates before selecting them for a position. This should tell you that the pictures, posts, and shared articles on your feeds are much more important than you might think – they could make or break your future. When these employers stumble on your social media profiles, what do they see? A cohesive brand that makes them want to work with you, or a jumbled mix of on-topic or inappropriate posts that indicate you aren’t ready for the job yet?

What is a Personal Brand?

A personal brand is the culmination of your online presence; yet, it’s so much more than that. A strong brand stands out against the crowd. When you walk into a sporting goods store, do you walk over to the Nike Swoosh, or to the brand you’ve never heard of? We are more inclined to trust a known, solidified brand than one that appears to be disjointed and disorganized. A good brand translates to more sales, increased awareness, and a better customer experience.

This branding isn’t just reserved for companies anymore. It’s reserved for you and freely available to anyone who wants to get up and create a personal brand that is supportive of their future.

Your personal brand is who you are, what you stand for, the values you embrace, and the way in which you choose to express these values. A brand is a quick culmination of your identity and clear value, for employers, friends, partners, and even mates to observe. It’s presenting your own personal story – how are you telling it? The good news is, you are in complete control of how this story is told! It’s a story that can establish and boost your career more than anything else today.

As Forbes famously said, “Why Personal Branding is More Important Than Ever: Whether you’re an employee or entrepreneur, cultivating a personal brand has become more important than ever before.”

Personal branding can no longer be ignored. An overwhelming 85% of hiring managers report that a job candidate’s personal brand influences their hiring decision. In this book, we are going to explore the concept of a personal brand, how to grow your brand, and how to set the foundation for a professional life that is going to carry you through your goals. Here at HonorSociety.org, we are passionate about helping current students, graduates, or possible-students to pursue their professional and educational dreams. Knowledge is power, which is why we want to help all readers enrich their knowledge of personal branding today.