The great thing about developing a personal brand instead of a product brand, is that you are entirely unique. There is no one like you. You don’t need to conjure up some seemingly unique product that someone is willing to pay for. You are the unique product. You were custom-created in the image of God to do things that God intended for only you to do.
In light of that truth, the key to defining your personal brand is understanding and knowing yourself—that is, the unique value that you bring to the world based on who it is that God created you to be. In some sense, this is the primary purpose of university: to determine where your passion and profession meet and, having built your identity on a solid foundation of faith, to then fulfill your unique mission in life.
Being that you’re setting out on a transformative life journey, you are in a sense forming and shaping your personal brand—defining what differentiates you from everyone else. It’s when you graduate and seek some form of gainful employment that you’ll need to differentiate yourself from other candidates applying for the same role. It will be your ability to help that future employer understand how your unique contribution to their organization will benefit them—that will separate you from the rest.
Practically speaking, there are a few steps to take to ensure you’re intentionally creating your personal brand:
- Why Do You Exist – in his book Start With Why, Simon Sinek encourages organizations to talk about why they exist before talking about what they do. Watch his TED Talk on YouTube and begin to ponder this question for yourself. Determine what it is that’s driving you and what you are setting out to accomplish. It is this core motivation that will ultimately drive you to succeed in whatever venture you embark on.
- Benefits vs. Features – Learn to speak in terms of the benefit you bring, instead of simply stating features (facts) about yourself. Yes, it’s wonderful that you played varsity soccer, but to a prospective employer the benefits that you derived from playing on a competitive sports team is what they care about: discipline, teamwork, leadership. Focus on these value-based elements instead of just the facts.
- It’s Not About You – Although when you’re creating a personal brand it feels like it’s about you, it’s not. It’s about the value that you can bring to your audience. The question that every audience (potential customer, future employer, etc.) is constantly asking is, “What’s in it for me?” They need to understand how it is that you will bring value to their life or organization.
At the end of the day, we’re all in the service business— ultimately, we have been put here to serve both God and people in the various marketplaces of life where we’ll find ourselves. A personal brand is a way for you to communicate to the world how you intend to serve them.
JAMES TWEEDY
Executive Director, Marketing & Communications | External Relations
Trinity Western University | t. 604.513.2027 x3343 | c. 778.242.6911 | e. james.tweedy@twu.ca
More Portfolio Resources
- Career Ready Primer
- Personal Branding
- Academic Context
- Accessible Design
- What and Why of Digital Literacy
- How to Publish Artifacts Like a Portfolio Champ
Photo by Miguel Bruna on Unsplash