What do you live by?
Let's talk about having a personal brand. |
| "Crafting your story 'til it makes sense" |
I first heard about personal branding from Tommy Karam at LSU and I honestly thought it was a silly idea. I wasn't a company or a saleswoman, so I didn't want to be branded. But when I bombed the "So tell me about yourself..." question during an interview, I realized that having a personal brand could actually provide some guidance.
What Mr. Karam teaches athletes is also helpful for aspiring students who want to stand out. Just like football players, students have to find a way to stay relevant and favorable to get a better chance of being 'drafted' by a company. However, just like Dell, it takes a lot of research to define your brand and it will evolve over time.
My personal brand has changed from "267 Watts of Bright Ideas" in undergrad to what I currently use: "Strategic Storyteller." Both ideas were actually a result of somebody else telling me I was good at something. After doing well in a pitch contest, a friend said I had bright ideas; I used that to motivate me to continue producing 'bright ideas.' Then a few years later, I was volunteering at a math conference and I spent an entire night sharing stories with high school students. They always asked for 'another story' and before I left, a few them told me that I was a good storyteller.
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| I had a mini Sharpie ready to fill this in at networking events |
I'm writing this to politely nudge you to work on your personal brand. Ever since I defined my personal brand, I've felt I had a better understanding of my strengths and weaknesses and my value proposition. It also keeps me focused on my reputation; I can't claim to be a strategic storyteller and then not tell effective stories. But let's keep talking about this. Do you have a personal brand or statement that you live by?
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