The Dalai Lama said the root of all suffering is thinking about yourself. In Tibetan, the word for pride is literally translated as, “Me, the King” (nga gyal). In contrast, your happiness is proportional to the thoughts you have for other people.
It seems the internet would agree with the Dalai Lama. In a recent study done by Dan Zarella, the more someone uses words like, “I,” “me” or “my” the less Twitter followers they have (see below). Another study also suggested “you” is the most retweeted word.
To Give is to Receive
The idea a personal brand is an act of narcissism is entirely false. The idea personal branding is generational or age based is also false.
Everyone has a brand, like it or not.
And finally, the idea personal branding is simply talking about yourself a lot is completely wrong. As we saw from Dan’s research, talking about yourself actually hurts your brand.
So what exactly is personal branding?
Source: http://danzarrella.com/data-shows-that-self-reference-does-not-get-followers.html
Align Who You Are with What They Need
People walk around all day thinking about their problems. Right? And in order to get your next job, you are trying to find a way to provide value by solving a target company’s problems.
So, Step 1 with personal branding is knowing what you can do, what you are good at, what you like to do.
Step 2 is knowing what your target company needs, what your hiring manager cares about.
Step 3 is aligning the two previous steps.
Simple.
Tell them how you can help them. And if you are not sure, ask.
[This article was originally posted on an earlier date]
Joshua Waldman is the founder of Career Enlightenment and specializes in helping job seekers leverage social media to find work quickly.
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14 Comments
Interesting post and agree with Natasha that Joshua comes up with interesting posts.
You know what, neither UAW or SEOLV has responded to my requests for the discount, and I'm still not sure how others are able to offer it.
You know what, neither UAW or SEOLV has responded to my requests for the discount, and I'm still not sure how others are able to offer it.
Dear Joshua,
I have been following CAREAREALISM for some time now and I have to say – you are GREAT!
So many interesting and practical topics raised! As for the personal branding, after my 10 years in the communications and ad industry, I can not agree more. Like it or not- we are all BRAND – representing certain VALUES, having UPS =our unique point of sale or specific skills and interests that can answer certain NEEDS of the clients (be it the company employer, users of ur services etc) and specific BRAND PROMISE – what can people expect from us! It helps a great deal to focus on WHAT WE CAN GIVE (aligned with our personal brand) – service, knowledge, engagement, INSTEAD OF WHAT WE CAN GET from the company, the project, the specific cooperation. By GIVING, we even open doors to projects and positions that might not have been open at the first place! Keep up the good work Joshua!
I respectfully disagree or perhaps I do not understand. The buzzword phrase these days is “personal branding.” If we proceed under the assumption that everyone has a personal brand, then it would seem to me that one's personal brand is relatively static. However, something doesn't make sense to me. In order to demonstrate your value to your target, the materials you present, a resume for example, has to change virtually every time you submit it. How does one reconcile that concept with the idea of branding – let's say setting up a personal website or a LinkedIn profile, which are not only impractical to update three times a day, but which may also highlight skills that don't necessarily resonate with the employer or recruiter? I would be very interested in hearing anyone's thoughts on that.
J-
Perhaps the challenge you are having is in the idea that a brand is static. I don't think this is a true assumption. Think about any brand, Toyota, let's say. With every new commercial, they craft consumer perceptions, introducing new values, respond to the most recent recalls etc. In each case the brand is recognizable, and the image has changed slightly. Brands stay consistent, (not static), but our image changes all the time, and we are dynamic and changing. My opinions change. My hair style changes. My interests change. However, there is still something recognizable, something that can be defined as Me or I (can you tell I studied Buddhist philosophy :) )
Let's say someone's brand is they they are “a reliable and ethical accountant with solid experience”. There are countless ways of expressing that reality. And each expression is just as genuine and real as the other. They may apply to Deloitt with a different resume than if they apply to a local accounting firm with 2 partners. The applicant might address separate concerns each company is facing. So what is the red thread? (the thing that ties it all together)
I would suggest watching this video called, “Personal Branding is a Joke” by a friend of mine Scott Scanlon. He does a nice job of drawing the line between “Personal Brand” and “Personal Image”. Perhaps this is where the confusion is coming from. http://www.youbrandinc.com/personal-branding-is…
Hi Joshua,
I was curious to look at the video. But it doesn’t play when you visit the site. Is this video available on any other site?
Cheers
Roshni
Roshni, It works fine for me. Perhaps you should try a different browser. – JW
You've taught me about branding to the extent that, as a psychotherapist, I challenge my clients to figure out how they “brand” themselves by their actions/words. Clients can usually pick a few key words that nails the “brand” they created…from there they decide what is working or not working in their lives based on this exercise. Only then can they actually change their actions and take responsibility for the outcome. I love this concept. Thanks for opening this avenue. Creating a personal brand has many applications!
Good stuff, Josh! This doesn't really explain why celebrities have so many followers, but for the average Joe I think it's very sound advice. Personal branding is not necessarily about tooting your own horn. You have to show your value to a current or potential employer by simply being a good and conscientious employee, which doesn't necessarily require an element of arrogance.
- Dmitriy from Brand-Yourself.com
Dmitriy, you are right…when someone is deified into celebrity-hood fans tend to hang on their every word no matter how banal. Yet, imagine the bliss of a fan whose favorite celebrity actually pays attention to them, calls them by name, cares about their comments. I think celebrities who focus on their fans might have more loyal minions. What do you think?
Indeed, your brand may be “modest person” and therefore no horn-tooting would be called for!
That would also explain why narcissistic leaders have few followers. The ones who DO follow such a leader are those who are narcissistic themselves and follow such a leader as a means of gaining power themselves. The old saying “power corrupts” is false but rather the corrupt SEEK power!
I would guess that a part of my personal brand is to help others by leading by example. My last job review (which came back as almost half “exceeds expectations”) my manager stated that I have not only raised the bar and expectations, but I help my co-workers raise their bars as well. My boss noticed that many of my co-workers (as well as himself) are now taking classes and studying for certifications.
Something I learned along the way is that to “lead” one must “lead the way” by pulling others rather than “'pushing” them.
My view is that I try to generate good Karma. I have seen Karma at work and come back on people – both good AND bad!
Scott, I think you've really picked up on something. I've heard good management described as how well the manager helps their people succeed. By taking the focus off of you and onto the needs of others, you are elevating yourself on many levels, socially, organizationally and spiritually.