What's Your Brand
Often times, people feel the need to determine who you are by asking, “So, what do you do for a living?” What’s unfortunate is that we are constantly defined by our job titles. Yes, it is a part of who we are, but there’s so much more to share about the way we define ourselves. At the New York Women in Communications 2017 Student Communications Career Conference, attendees had the opportunity to sit in on various panels that offered insight on how to maneuver the professional world.
The first panel I attended was “Defining Your Personal Brand.” I always hear so much about personal branding and presenting yourself in a specific manner on social media platforms, but what does that all really mean? The idea of personal branding sometimes stresses me out because, like many other college students, we are all attempting to establish who we are and where we fit in this world.
One of the panelists, Robyn Hatcher from SpeakEtc., discussed that you need to unpack what people are seeing in you. How do you come across to others? Do you like that image that they have or do you wish they saw you in a different light? One of the best pieces of advice I took away from Hatcher is to get rid of the phrase “fake it until you make it.” That was my motto until she taught me “own it while you hone it.” It was almost as if a lightbulb when off in my head because I knew that she was right. She proceeded to explain that you decide how you want to present yourself — create that path you want to be on and step into it.
The panelists also shared that you are not your job title, but rather you’re in that job because of your passions and what led you there. So, next time someone asks you what do you, go ahead and tell them, but then explain to them why you’re in that field and offer them insight into who you truly are.
My last piece of advice for personal branding requires some reflection on your part. If you struggle with how you want to brand yourself, take 15 minutes to write down 40 adjectives. Then, narrow it down to five until you have — what I like to call — the five pillars of who you are. Next, ask people who know you well to send you three words to describe you. This will not only give you 30 adjectives, but it will also allow you to see which words repeat the most.
As someone who is still discovering who they are and what kind of impact they want to make on this world, I am grateful for everything I learned from this panel. So, I challenge you to determine your personal brand and where you see yourself fitting into this world.
