Discover The Proven Art Of Standing Out In A Crowded Profession

By Perminus Wainaina

It is very evident and even the senior most professional in the industry can attest that indeed the Kenyan job market has transformed over the recent years.

Everyone is looking to fit somewhere and grab a position using the same skill-sets and qualifications that every other person has.

This has been the case for some of the most crowded professions like accountancy, customer service and even sales and marketing.

Having doubts about this?

Just take a moment and do an analysis of the jobs that are posted on the most common job websites in Kenya.

How many job applications do you imagine these companies received daily for one job position? Are there ever green industries? Are there more professionals graduating into the same industries each year?

So, how do you stand out in those professions?

To begin with, your personal branding comes into play at this point.

As a consultant in the recruitment industry for over 10 years now, I can tell for a fact that standing out in such competitive professions is not a walk in the park.

Remember, your opportunities in such competitive professions only expand when you have a strong personal brand that helps to carve out your niche as a thought leader and expert in that particular industry.

This is what every employer is looking for.

So, how do you build an effective personal brand that will help you stand out then?

1. Firstly, you have to hone your uniqueness and let others identify you by it

When people hear your name what would you like them to associate you with?

Maybe you can do something highly useful that very few people can do. Well, that’s your unique quality, and you should tell others about it.

Once you have understood how you want to be perceived, evaluate your skills and experience.

How can you use your that uniqueness to help bridge a gap that already exist in the market?

As you are already aware, you are in a crowded field and to uniquely stand out you need to package yourself in a distinctive and noteworthy way.

For instance: If you are an interior designer, find out what you can do differently from the others who are already in the same field as you.

Do you the ability to design environmental friendly architecture? You can leverage on that and that is what will help you stand out from all the other interior designers.

2. You also need to invest in technology by building a strong Online Presence

When people visit your online accounts what perception are they bound to have of you?

Remember, no employer or professional for that matter wants to be associated with a person with a questionable reputation.

As you post content on your social media handles (Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn) always consider how it is portraying you as a professional. Is it affecting or boosting the brand you have already developed?

Would it make a potential recruiter or client handpick you from the rest of the crowd? 

Social media is a tangible tool that you can use to increase your brand visibility as a professional if you utilize it well.

Maintain a professional career profile, post relevant content that will help push you as a brand and that will make people want to be associated with you.

3. Define your values as a professional

Your genuineness is what makes the backbone of your personal brand.

Being genuine about who you are and what you gave to offer allows others to trust you, to engage with you, to tell their friends about you. It is all about having stated values and being true to them.

So what are your values?

How you speak and write is also a reflection of your values. Are you serious or informal? Do you address the layman or professional while speaking?

Be cautious about being inconsistent with things such as saying one thing and doing another, as this will cast doubt on your values and undermine your brand.

Keep those values at the heart of everything you do i.e networking with new people, social media, or publish blog posts.

 Wherever and whenever you engage, ensure you do so in a way that shines a light on your values.

That will be your personal brand!

4. Most importantly, have a mentor to guide you through

You don’t necessarily have to walk alone as you figure out how you can build on your personal brand.

Not at all!

You can consult professionals who have established themselves in your field, image consultants or even seek a career mentor ship program to give you a clear road map on how you can build an effective brand in your field.

This may come in terms of: physical appearances, professional skill sets, what courses you could take up to help you remain relevant in your field, how to be consistent, what career move you need to make next, marketing strategies you can use on your social media or as simple as what title you need to include in your business card.

Having a mentor helps to make your personal branding journey a whole lot easier.

With this in mind,

It is very important to note that the essence of focusing on your personal branding is to help your career progression (and I’m sure this is something that you wouldn’t think twice about).

Don’t package yourself just like everyone else.

Purpose from today to position yourself uniquely as a professional brand and you will be destined for career success.

All the best!