{"id":15221,"date":"2018-05-16T10:38:36","date_gmt":"2018-05-16T10:38:36","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/hnews.hult.edu\/?p=15221"},"modified":"2026-05-05T18:01:56","modified_gmt":"2026-05-05T17:01:56","slug":"personal-branding-basics","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.hult.edu\/blog\/personal-branding-basics\/","title":{"rendered":"Personal branding basics: Essential rules for selling yourself in the digital age"},"content":{"rendered":"

So call me old-fashioned, but I find the idea of having to \u201csell yourself\u201d a little creepy.<\/strong><\/p>\n

For centuries, civilized societies everywhere have shunned showoffs\u2014and rightly so. At school, work, and parties, nobody likes a blowhard. But for nearly a decade now, branding and marketing gurus have bombarded us with the proposition that, in the digital age, our professional success demands self-promotion<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

Having waded through two-dozen books on \u201cselling yourself\u201d and \u201cpersonal branding\u201d so you don\u2019t have to, I’ve distilled all that wit and wisdom into five big ideas.<\/p>\n

1.\u00a0Your brand must be authentic, credible, and inspire trust.<\/h3>\n

In branding, as in life, honesty is almost invariably the best policy. Yes, we\u2019ve all heard the line about \u201cfake it \u2018till you make it.\u201d But the reality is: faking it is hard and the odds are you\u2019ll get busted. <\/strong><\/p>\n

In the digital age, it\u2019s easier than ever for employers, clients, and investors to ferret out frauds. If they think you\u2019re conning them, you\u2019re toast. One thing we hear all the time from prospective employers is that they can\u2019t stand \u201cbox-tickers\u201d\u2014people who do things not because they\u2019re genuinely interested but just to get ahead.<\/p>\n

So, be confident, be passionate, and never sell yourself short<\/strong>. But above all, don\u2019t lie or pretend to have experiences, skills, or credentials you\u2019ve never acquired. Sometimes, a little old-fashioned modesty can go a long way.<\/strong><\/p>\n

“In the digital age, it\u2019s easier than ever for employers, clients, and investors to ferret out frauds.”<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

2. Your brand must be consistent.<\/h3>\n

This is a hard one in the online age. We\u2019re all used to having multiple personas. We might be geeky and shy with one group of friends, and wild and crazy with another.<\/p>\n

Even on social media, many of us have different personalities on different platforms. We tend to be buttoned-up and professional on LinkedIn<\/strong>, breezy and informal on Facebook or Instagram<\/strong>, and willing to really let our hair down on Snapchat<\/strong>. From a branding standpoint, this is a problem. As much as we\u2019d all love to believe that what happens on Facebook stays on Facebook, it just ain\u2019t so.<\/p>\n

The more important the job you\u2019re seeking, the more probable it is that employers and recruiters will scour the web to find out who you really are. If you\u2019ve made crass remarks on Twitter, or your Instagram feed reveals questionable behavior, that\u2019s not going to do your brand any favors.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

3. Your brand must emphasize what it is that makes you different.<\/h3>\n

Your brand should help you to stand out, presenting you as a premium product rather than a commodity<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

This can be tricky, especially in the early stages of your career. But in composing your resume or LinkedIn profile and talking about yourself in job interviews, it helps enormously to highlight things that make you unique <\/strong>from other recent grads.<\/p>\n

Do you speak multiple languages? Have you lived in many different countries? Do you have special technical skills? Is there some unusual project you led that will help an employer understand what you\u2019re all about?<\/p>\n

It pays to communicate something unique about yourself\u2014even if it\u2019s a hobby or something not directly related to the opportunity you\u2019re seeking\u2014as long it helps people relate to you and remember who you are<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

“Your brand should help you to stand out, presenting you as a premium product rather than a commodity.”<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

4. Your brand must help communicate how you can add value.<\/h3>\n

This is where the rubber hits the road.<\/strong><\/p>\n

What can you really<\/em> do for an employer? Make sure your LinkedIn profile, resume, and presentations spell it out.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

5. Your brand must be focused.<\/h3>\n

What\u2019s the one thing you\u2019re really good at? The one thing you really want to be known for? The one thing that unifies all your skills and experiences to date? <\/strong><\/p>\n

Don\u2019t try to persuade a client or employer that you\u2019re a “Jack-of-all-trades,” equally adept at whatever happens to come up. No one wants to hire a Jack.<\/strong> They want to hire someone who is crazy good at one thing, whatever it is, that will really matter. Figure out that one thing and go after it.<\/p>\n

“What’s the one thing you really want to be known for?\u00a0Figure out that one thing and go after it.”<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\n

Discover how a Hult degree could help to enhance your personal brand and prepare you for a global career.\u00a0Download a brochure.<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

\n

Explore the complexities and challenges of the marketing world with Hult’s Masters in International Marketing<\/a>. To learn more, take a look at our blog Concepting: Hult Shanghai discusses new branding methodology<\/a>, or get into broader business with a Masters in International Business<\/a> instead. Download a brochure or get in touch today to find out how Hult can help you to explore everything about the business world, the future, and yourself.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

So call me old-fashioned, but I find the idea of having to \u201csell yourself\u201d a little creepy. For centuries, civilized societies everywhere have shunned showoffs\u2014and rightly so. At school, work,…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":126,"featured_media":15260,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[25],"tags":[364,206,183,189],"yoast_head":"\nPersonal branding basics: Selling yourself in the digital age<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"In the digital age, professional success often demands self-promotion. Your "personal brand" should help you to stand out, presenting you as a premium product rather than a commodity. 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