Dive Brief:
- If you are an HR leader, your personal brand should identify and differentiate you from other HR peers, according to an article at Inquirer.net.
- For example, and HR leader can develop a reputation for being the best negotiator for collective bargaining, or the guru in managing compensation, but not necessarily be “everything to everybody.”
- For HR leaders and professionals serious about their careers, the best time to think of building a personal brand is now, writes author Ernie Cecilia.
Dive Insight:
The article offers several suggestions on how to build a brand. For example, it notes that Dr. Don Sexton, of Columbia University, believes a personal brand must have three important things: identifiers, attributes and associations.
When a CEO feels a need to hire a great HR professional, he or she would think in terms of certain attributes. A personal brand highlights these great attributes, which are developed over time through value-added result experiences on the job.
Most of all, he writes, great brands don’t develop overnight or sporadically. Be clear about the desired brand position and develop a strategy that will help achieve that objective. Cecilia writes that all activities must work together to help establish and maintain a strong personal brand.
Also, the target audience must know your brand. As an HR professional, it is not enough that your CEO knows your contributions and expertise. So it makes sense to join professional HR organizations and showcase your talent, a way to enhance your personal brand and expand your career opportunities.
