Build your Brand
Take charge of your career growth
The job market today is challenging. Budgets are shrinking, layoffs continue and roles are attracting hundreds of applicants in days. But companies are still hiring.
They are simply hiring differently. They now look for candidates who can:
- Demonstrate real-world impact, not just theory
- Show business value, not only technical skill
- Communicate and position themselves clearly
This is where your personal brand and network become a competitive advantage.
This isn’t about becoming “internet famous”, it’s about making it easy for the right people to see you as a strong, credible and hireable professional. Not for popularity, but for visibility to the right people.
Before Anything Else: Know Your Craft
Branding does not replace competence. Regardless of your field whether it be Data Science, Software Design, Healthcare or Photography; one rule holds:
You must know your craft!
That doesn’t mean being an expert at everything. It means staying current, practicing consistently and understanding your tools and domain well enough to speak confidently about your work.
Branding amplifies what’s already there, it cannot replace a weak foundation.
From this point on, let’s assume you’re actively working on your skills. Now we focus on how you should show that to the world.
Building Your Brand
Most people network when they need something.
Flip it.
Show up, give value, comment, and the referrals will come.
Austin Belcak (Job Search Coach)[1]
The biggest mistake that people do when building their brand is “not build a brand at all”. Brand is not built in a day or two. It needs time and energy. It needs resilience and consistency. You need to be present on people’s radars to be remembered, you need to be established as the authority and the go-to expert for your domain, before even making an ask.
The 3 Questions That Anchor Your Brand
Branding isn’t about being everywhere. It’s about clarity and consistency. Start by answering:
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Who do I want to be seen as?
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Who is my audience?
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Where is my audience active?
“If you speak to everyone, you speak to no one.” — Seth Godin
Tailor your message to where your audience lives and how they consume content.
1. Who do you want to be known as?
Specific positioning creates memorable impressions. Are you the “go-to” for SQL interviews? A conflict resolution expert? A creative technologist? Pick a lane. The more specific, the better. Who do you want to be known as:
- Early-career data analyst focusing on dashboard design
- ML Engineer interested in recommender systems
- Workshop facilitator improving team collaboration
- Senior manager ready to move to the next level
You cannot be everything to everyone. Conduct an in-depth SWOT analysis to create self-awareness and be crisp on which roles, positions, sectors you want to target. Identify your strengths, weaknesses, threats and opportunities. Know your deal breakers.
Vague positioning -> vague messaging -> no recall.
When NM (name hidden for privacy) first conducted her self-audit, she realized that she doesn’t even want to be employed under a company, rather establish her own consultancy. This clarity allowed her to position herself in a very different light – as a business owner – compared to what she was doing previously – as a job search candidate.
So, know yourself and your aspirations before moving ahead.
2. Who is your audience?
Your brand isn’t for everyone.
Are you speaking to Hiring Managers? Recruiters? Senior Tech Leaders? The way you communicate is going to be very different compared to when you’re targeting house wives or a different generation like Gen X, Millennials and Gen Z.
Your audience determines how you communicate with them including, but not limited to:
- the platform where you build your presence,
- the tone you use,
- the problems you solve,
- the type of content you create.
You need to make sure that your message lands and resonates with your audience.
If you’re targeting Gen Z, you need to communicate differently versus if you’re targeting senior executives.
3. Where does your audience spend time?
Different audiences live on different platforms:
- Senior tech leaders -> often on LinkedIn, conferences, niche communities
- Teenagers or creators -> more likely Instagram, TikTok, YouTube
- Founders/startups -> LinkedIn, X, specific Slack/Discord groups
The platform you choose determines:
- How formal or casual your tone is.
- Whether you write more, record videos or share visuals.
- How often and in what format you show up.
If you’re building your presence on an incorrect platform, your brand will be invisible to your target audience and all your efforts will be wasted!
If There’s Only One Thing You Do This Week…
Do your Homework:
Make it crystal clear what you do, for whom, and how. Conduct your SWOT analysis and answer the three questions that form the foundation of your brand:
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Who do I want to be seen as?
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Who is my audience?
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Where is my audience active?
Next Step Forward
If you want expert guidance in conducting your SWOT self-analysis and start building your brand in a no-fluff, accelerated way, check out the 2-week Lumen Job Search Accelerator. It is designed to give you clarity to build your brand and provides a strategic framework allowing you to take-off in just two weeks.
If you want to take the longer route, and explore the branding essentials yourself, you can sign up for our free 4-day short course on Get Hired: Level up your Job Search Game.
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Have questions? We’re here to help! Whether you’re curious to learn more, want guidance on applying, or need insights to make the right decision—reach out today and take the first step toward transforming your career.