Life after graduation is a story I know all too well. One of the many things that get missed with a lot of new graduates is presentation or professional image. I know when I used to prepare for job interviews, many of the career articles would state that you have to go into the interview prepared to "sell yourself". But what does this really mean? What does it mean to have something to sell? Does that mean that you dilute your values and goals, and exaggerate your abilities and interests, all in hopes of getting the job?

Honestly, I think what's important is to build a professional brand around who you are, based on your work experiences, commitments, and personality. It’s about making your mark and highlighting the value that you can deliver to others. It's about showing who you are, what you stand for, the values you embrace, and the way in which you express those values. Just as a company’s brand helps to communicate its mission and values to customers, a professional brand should do the same for individuals who are seeking employment. It should help in communicating your identity and values to potential employers or clients.

In order to build a professional brand or image that accurately reflects your career identity, you first need to know who you are. Be introspective and create a list of your professional strengths and weaknesses. Ask yourself:

• What motivates me?
• What is my mission in the industry? 
• What skills have others complimented me on?
• What do I like best about the industry?
• What challenges me most about the industry?

Please remember that many people struggle to choose a specific niche or area because they don’t want to limit themselves, however, you must realize that your professional brand, like many company brands, will change as your career grows. The best strategy is to choose a particular area that you would like to focus on now and evolve with over time.

After you have identified who you are, it’s time to determine what you want to be known for. Your professional brand is more than a reflection of who you are today; it’s a road-map of where you plan to go. In addition to understanding your existing skills and competencies, you must assess your strengths and weaknesses as they relate to the industry for which you want to work. This can help you better determine what steps you need to take in order to get there.

Before you begin creating your professional brand, you also need to determine who you’re trying to reach. Who is your audience? Is it other industry leaders? An individual at a particular company? Recruiters? The sooner you define the audience, the easier it will be to create your public image, because you’ll better understand the type of story you need to tell (and where you need to tell it.) For example, if your goal is to reach hiring managers and recruiters, you might start by creating or updating your LinkedIn profile because many company recruiters use this social media platform to find high-quality candidates.

Ask yourself what problem you are pushing to solve in your industry. This is very important because it helps you establish your own professional mission as a career professional. This will also help you determine which industries or sectors will compliment you as a professional. 

After you have identified your problem and established a professional mission statement, it’s time to see the proof. What have you done to solve the problem? Sharing specific examples of some challenges you’ve faced, work that you have produced, and what resulted from your efforts, builds your credibility and trust in your networking communities.

In addition to putting action toward solving your problem, another way to establish your brand is to write or speak about what you know and share the information on public platforms such as LinkedIn or YouTube. This will help to establish a community around your knowledge or industry experience which in turn will work in your favor to continue to build your reputation. This is very important because your reputation is a good way to determine if a job selects you, as well as how much they will pay you for your work. Remember that your reputation is everything and that it is connected to your career image which, in terms of money, opportunity, and growth, can be devastating if not taken seriously. 

Next, it’s about showing personality. Think about it. What sets you apart from the thousands of others in your field? Your professional brand is more than a collection of facts that have been polished to sound good. It’s an opportunity to express your passions and own your uniqueness. It’s an opportunity to help you be clear about what makes you relevant and compelling to people who are making decisions about you.

Lastly, research your desired industry and consider following the experts. This is where you take the opportunity to find the leaders in the field you’re interested in, read their blogs and journal articles, listen to their speeches, and review their books. Look for people who are successful and examine what they’re doing and how you can do it better.

Remember, when building your professional brand your main objective should be to stand out from the crowd, but it can be difficult to rise to the top without taking inventory of who’s already there. Your professional brand is more than just a persona or a trend; it’s how you carry yourself at home, in the office, and with friends. Your reputation consists of how you behave, how you act, and how you treat people. That image you sell, combined with everyday interactions, will ultimately define your professional brand. I hope you enjoyed this blog. Thanks for reading.

Like this column? Sign up to subscribe to email alerts and you'll never miss a post.