Design Your Work Identity: Build Your Personal Brand

A lot of people think of personal branding as self-promotion, but it's really about maintaining a good reputation. It's the sum of the interpersonal and professional impressions other people have of you. These things gradually shape others' perceptions of your skills and expertise, your attitude, how you handle stress, and how you lead. And, people notice all of these things even if you don't have a formal leadership role.

Why this matters: People who are good at what they do sometimes miss out on opportunities because HR or hiring managers don't see their full potential, or their interpersonal skills don't match up. This is why, in the corporate world, when an employee isn't progressing, you'll see the use of 360° assessments to help them understand how others view them and how they can cultivate a better personal brand.

Moving forward: If you're in a place where you feel like people don't value your work or skills at the level you believe them to be, use the tips below to determine how to improve your skills and visibility. Like a company building a brand, your reputation hinges on your ability to utilize feedback from your audiences, which in your case would be coworkers, your boss, teammates, and organizational leaders, to grow your personal brand.

Make talents and reputation your anchors.

People's opinions of you evolve based on what they see you do over and over again, like how you deliver, how you work with others, and what you care about. If you want to make a certain impression, consider making a list of the skills you want to be known for.

HOW: Pick skills that show both what you're good at now and where you can go next.

1. For each talent, give it a reputation anchor, which is a behavior that helps people see you in a certain way. For example, "Translates technical work into normal language" or "Steady focus with changing priorities and disruption."

2. Think about what attitude you need to convey. How friendly and interested you are, and how effectively you follow through, all impact how people regard your work.

3. Write a concise talking point that blends how you work and what you want to achieve.

   
   

Make sure your messages are the same across all your chats and platforms.

Communicating well lets you showcase your skills and leadership style in every situation. People make decisions quickly, and if you don't stick to what you say, you can lose trust. People receive a better and more accurate impression of what you can do when your résumé, LinkedIn profile, and real-life interactions all express the same thing.

WHAT: Showcase what you know and how you work.

1. Change the headline and "About" part of your LinkedIn page to highlight both your skills and your personality.

2. Show you can adapt, solve problems, and lead at your level by refining the details in your résumé and LinkedIn profile and tying them to results.

3. Make sure what you say and do match by living out the message every day.

4. Check your career materials and documents every quarter to ensure your goals, skills, and personal brand remain aligned.

Use micro-learning to help people trust your personal brand.

When people see you actively building your skillset, they think better of you. Micro-learning helps others think you're keeping up with your field, adapting to change, and staying relevant. It indicates that you can adapt and are always trying to make things better, which are two attributes very important for leaders.

HOW: Choose one ability that will be crucial for you in 2025.

1. Practice makes perfect. To get better at that talent, practice it for brief amounts of time every day.

2. Don't just tell us what you learned; show us how you think by sharing insights on professional platforms.

3. Use what you've learnt to tackle challenges at work right now to show that you can adapt.

Make personal brand development a monthly habit.

Your reputation grows through steady signals, not grand gestures. When you batch your brand-building tasks once a month, you stay visible and consistent, and you can realign with how you want people to experience your personal brand.

WHAT: Taking time for reflection will help you remain aligned.

1. Set aside one month each year for a full reset. Review what you've created, update your measures of success, and map out what you'll tackle and share next.

2. Capture real moments that show who you are. When you demonstrate leadership, flexibility, problem-solving, or a shift in attitude, write it down. These strengthen your brand story.

3. Pay attention to feedback. Formal or informal, it tells you how others currently see your skills and the strength (or lack thereof) of your brand. Note how to reduce differences in others' view of your brand and your own.

4. Make one small adjustment each month. Shift your message, highlight a different skill, or increase your visibility in one simple way.

💯 Your personal brand is how other people view you in action, including your abilities, dependability, flexibility, leadership style, and the results you get. When those things are obvious and promoted humbly, it's easier for chances to come your way.

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I'm Hillary Hufford-Tucker, founder of Relevated Brands. Since 2019, I've helped experienced professionals navigate career transitions and maintain relevance through strategic positioning, standout résumés, optimized LinkedIn profiles, and personal brand strategies aligned to their next move. I'm certified in career coaching, transitions, reinvention, and digital strategy, and I hold an MA in Strategic Communications and a Level Two Award in Wine from WSET, because I believe in well-rounded credentials. I split my time between Illinois and California, and when I'm not working with clients, I'm usually cycling, traveling, writing, or enjoying a great Syrah, sometimes all at once.

👀Read more of my blog posts here.