Unpacking the “Personal Brand”

By Taryn Snyder

“Personal brand”: the lofty term you’ve likely heard mentioned by counselors and employers at career fairs. However, many of us are left wondering - what is this “personal brand” we keep hearing and why do we so desperately need to craft one? 

The idea of a “personal brand” was first presented to me when I was a junior in high school and considering the career I wanted to pursue. I spoke with Hayden Manders, who has worked for publications like Refinery29 and Nylon Magazine and currently works as associate creative director and copy lead for CLOSER. As someone hoping to go into the editorial industry, he suggested that I develop my own “personal brand.” Those two words have popped up in countless conversations and stuck with me since. I spoke with three experts on the topic to unpack this weighted term. 

Manders defined a “personal brand” as “the part of your identity that you use to market yourself.” He explained that your “personal brand” can be found in anything from your resume, to a logo, to how you present yourself. When creating this “personal brand,” Manders stressed the importance of writing down ideas for it and mood boarding. Then, you must consider the elements you’ve chosen for your “personal brand.” “Why does this resonate with you? And from there, I think it's just a matter of always, always iterating on it,” Manders said.  

The concept of a “personal brand” is often associated with social media and influencers. In this social media era, many debate about having a public or private profile in the face of creating a “personal brand.” It can be important to distinguish this personal vs. professional self. “I’ve seen people who don’t have those boundaries where they get caught up in the marketable self and then suddenly they lose all sense of self. They just become a product and that’s the danger of a ‘personal brand,’” said Manders. However, Manders also expressed the benefits that social media can play in employment “pre-screenings” by showing who you are as a person outside of the workplace with other interests and passions. 

While navigating this “personal brand” in a public manner like social media, Manders said, “You don’t have to have everything figured out. I don't have everything figured out. My boss doesn’t have everything figured out, but, you know, if you don’t have everything figured out, be as buttoned up as possible. The top button to me is speaking authentically and with conviction.”

Cherisse Theriault, an Annenberg senior career adviser, said, “I think personal branding is a new term for a rather old practice in the career world.” When asked about the trepidation some students might feel about creating their own “personal brands,” Theriault said, “It’s scary for students. It's scary for anyone. Right? It's such a hot topic. It's such a big buzzword. But in reality, it's really just, how do you show up in the world? How do you share your story? And it's all about connection. I mean, that's ultimately what any of this is: it's connection. And the first step is always just understanding yourself and going from there." 

To start building a “personal brand,” Theriault suggests that students create a “personal inventory” by beginning to ask questions like: “What are your values?” “What can you talk about endlessly?” “What are the skills and experiences that make you unique?” “What do you want to be known for?” “How do you want others to see you or perceive you?” Theriault explained that students can tangibly show this branding through resumes, cover letters, LinkedIn, and a personal narrative which can be used in interviews. When I asked her how a “personal brand” works in the era of social media, she explained that while social media can be a “superpower” for some students, there are other vessels to deliver a “personal brand” that might be better suited to other students' goals. 

Editorial Recruiter Chandra Turner described a “personal brand” instead as a “unique value proposition.” Turner breaks this idea down into three categories: 1) your unique skill set 2) your SAE (subject area expertise) 3) your ideal work environment. While there are many options for presenting your unique value proposition, Turner expressed that your choice of medium should reflect whatever niche you are in. For example, someone interested in beauty and fashion might choose Instagram, while a recruiter like herself will utilize LinkedIn, she explained. 

For many of us in our twenties and in college, who are about to embark on our careers, a “personal brand” can seem daunting. How are we meant to figure out everything about ourselves and our goals and achievements and wrap it up in a pretty package with a bow, when we’re still trying to figure it out? After more crucial examination and many words of wisdom from other people, I don’t think a “personal brand” truly demands quite that much. 

If we think about it, didn’t we all create a “personal brand” with our college applications? Undoubtedly, while many of us look back and think ‘I would do this so differently now,’ it was a statement of who we were at the time, or at least our best try. It likely was our first shot at a “personal brand.” As our personal statements would likely change today, so can your “personal brand” over time. “I think that change is good, change is inevitable. And to lock yourself in with a ‘personal brand’ at like 19, 20, 21, that’s going to hold you back,” said Manders. A “personal brand” is an ever-evolving process. “You should always be holding a mirror up to your brand and yourself and having an open and honest, ongoing dialogue with the person you see digitally and on paper,” said Manders. Despite many of our worries, I believe these two words really just mean that as you figure this all out, you need to have some tangible product to show for it, even if that might change. While we can look to the guidance of many, there is still no cookie-cutter formula. A “personal brand” is hyperpersonal to what you want to present to the world, and a process each person has to discover for themselves. 

When it comes to that dream job, a “personal brand” is a necessity no matter the industry. However, in the process of crafting your own “personal brand,” whether that is through Instagram, a website, a podcast, or a very active LinkedIn, the path to your future begins now. It seems that we can’t wait to be hired for the dream job, to start doing the dream job. And a “personal brand” seems like a pretty good place to start.

Graphic by Shyloh Koo (images via Pinterest)

Photos Courtesy of Taryn Snyder