How personal branding impacts your career

Students at kood/Jõhvi are virtually guaranteed to have a job after finishing their studies. This is done through cooperation with our partner network and also by organizing different events that further get partners and students involved. (e.g. workshops, kood/Talks and a lot more!)

During the first year of studies, we’ve already got several students who have started their professional careers in the tech sector. But the end goal is that every student finds a compatible job position that matches their skills and interests. 

What are some steps that people can take to make sure that the right people and companies notice them? One important impactful factor is personal branding – something that Talenthub came to introduce to our students. Let’s have a look at what there is to learn! 

Let’s start from the basics

What is a brand? A brand is an experience that comes from the behavior and relationship a person has with an organization, individual, product, or service. Having a specific brand means having your name, voice, or personality interconnected with a certain image.

And from here we move towards a personal brand. The way a person sees themself and others see themselves differs. In the middle of the two, you can perceive your brand. Every interaction and relationship creates a picture of how a person is seen, so take matters into your own hand and be the one who builds and shapes their story.

A little exercise on brand perception: write down as many words as you can about yourself and let your friend, coworker, family member do the same. Compare the two and see what areas match!

Altogether, a personal brand is a collection of a person’s skills and expertise, personality, story, beliefs, and values but also their social media presence, the information they share, and interaction with different people. Knowledge is key, but now let’s get to building your own personal brand in order to further elevate your future career options!

Why work on your personal brand?

By articulating what a person stands for, they can build a more relevant network! With a great network, it’s easier to work on your aspirations and get things done! This also goes for finding a job in a certain field. 

Research shows that by making efforts with personal branding, a person can attract better career opportunities and therefore higher job satisfaction and career growth! 

So what are the first steps to do in order to start working on your personal brand? 

First and foremost – Google yourself! The person you were 1 year ago or 5 years ago might not be the same person you’re right now. 

Try to make adjustments and have a little ‘Spring cleaning’! Show the person you are right now or are aspiring to be in your career. Any kind of negative action might stop a person from achieving the next steps on their career ladder.

Getting started with personal branding

Ask yourself these questions:

  • Why do I do what I do?
  • What do I want to be known for?
  • What topics am I passionate about?
  • Where would I feel most comfortable spreading my message?

The best thing about personal branding is that it’s personal. You have complete control over how you want to shape others’ perceptions of yourself. 

Think about who you want to communicate with, how you want to spread your message, and what you want to achieve and get to work! The easiest way to do so is via content marketing.

Options for content marketing!

Work on creating valuable content that boosts your personal brand. This content should be based on the same 4 questions that come up in the start of this section. Make sure to work on creating an image of yourself that you’re proud of!

Some good examples about producing content in different channels:

Tips and tricks from Talenthub

Building your own personal brand is a long process. It’s important to find the channels that you feel comfortable in and also reflect the same persona in your real-life interactions.

Talenthub has offered a personal recruitment approach since 2019 and their experienced workforce has collected a lot of valuable information that helps job seekers succeed in the recruitment process! 

“They say dress for the job that you want, not the job that you have got. Well, I say behave for the future that you want,” says Talenthub’s Partners Lead Piret Ulm. “Estonia is so small, and the local tech world is even smaller. The way you treat people around you, your attitude and approach will be remembered by many and you never know where your paths may cross again. Qualities like reliability, trustworthiness and credibility are highly valued in every single role in life.” Piret sums up personal branding as not just social media posts but the way a person makes others around them feel. 

Teele and Piret from Talenthub talking about personal branding to the students of kood/Jõhvi