^{August 24, 2024}

Nobody Knows Who You Are. Now What?

_{READ TIME - 4 MINUTES}

You’re trying to figure out how to "brand yourself" for your new career. You want to stand out, but the idea of self-promotion makes you cringe. It is totally normally to feel this way, especially since you’re someone who values authenticity and staying grounded. 

Why This Matters

Personal branding isn’t just a buzzword—it’s absolutely necessary.

It’s how you show your value and stand out from the crowd.

Make no mistake.

It's a really. really. big. crowd.

Without a strong personal brand, it’s entirely too tough to catch the eye of those with jobs to give.

BUT, you feel like you're not good at it (personal branding, that is).

You have no idea where to start so you've likely listened to this advice:

Common Solutions You're Likely Considering and Why They Might Not Work:

1. Playing Down Your Wins: A lot of people try to avoid talking about their achievements altogether. It might feel more comfortable, especially since you're FORCED to be humble in your school, but it can also make you come across as less experienced or qualified than you really are.

2. Going Overboard: On the flip side, some folks try to pack their resumes and LinkedIn profiles with every freaking buzzword under the sun. This can backfire, making you seem insincere or a bit too 'extra.'

3. Focusing Just on Hard Skills: Some believe that listing every technical skill is enough to make their work speak for itself. But this approach will make you miss the mark by not highlighting the soft skills and personal qualities that set you apart. Hard skills without a story will put people to sleep.

A Better Approach For You:

Finding the sweet spot between confidence and authenticity is key. Here’s how you can do it:

1. Change the Way You Think About Branding: Instead of seeing branding as bragging, think of it as sharing your professional story. What are the experiences, skills, and values that make you, you? This isn’t about ego—it’s about giving others a real understanding of what you bring to the table.
2. Show Your Impact: Talk about the results you’ve achieved, not just the tasks you’ve done. For example, instead of saying, "I created data analysis processes," say, "I led a team of 4 in a data dive that identified key areas for academic improvement which resulted in a brand new data analysis and documentation process, saving my team 6 hours of work per month."
3. Let Others Brag for You: Use recommendations or testimonials from colleagues, bosses, or clients who can vouch for your work. This adds credibility and takes the pressure off you to do all the self-promotion.
4. Keep It Consistent: Make sure your resume, LinkedIn profile, and other professional platforms tell the same story. Your branding should reflect the same strengths and values wherever people find you.

Summary

• Change Your Mindset: Branding is about telling your story, not bragging.
• Show Your Impact: Focus on the results and the difference you’ve made.
• Use Testimonials: Let others highlight your strengths.
• Stay Consistent: Keep your message unified across all platforms.

Want to Dive Deeper?

Ready to build a brand that really reflects who you are? Check out my Elevated Careers Career Change Accelerator™, where you’ll learn how to craft a personal brand that opens doors without compromising your true self.

Your Next Steps

Ready to feel way more comfortable promoting yourself?

Here's what do to next:

1. Take a few minutes to list your key achievements and the impact you’ve made.

2. Make it easy on yourself- pick the ONE thing you are MOST proud of accomplishing.

3. Write down all of the ways you accomplished that thing.

3a. All logistics, all timing, all adjustments, all obstacles you overcame.

4. Then start thinking about how to weave these into your professional story in a way that feels genuine to you. 

Then, it is less about "bragging" and more about just being a good raconteur. (that's my 'Fancy Nancy' word of the day. Email me the definition at [email protected], I'll give you 50% off any of my Accelerators.)

The key to changing careers is to show folks that you're interesting AND accomplished.

Hope you'll give this a try.

See you next week.