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3 Reasons Why Personal Branding Will Get You That Job

By Perminus Wainaina 

On Saturday, I had been invited to a career development workshop. The workshop hosted professionals and job seekers from various backgrounds.

The organizing party had requested I talk about career growth and practical skills to help you get to the next level of your presentation.

After I had made my presentation, we had an interactive Q&A segment.

One of the questions I got was from Ann, a professional in the banking sector with five years’ experience. Seven months ago, she was rendered unemployed after a mass retrenchment at the bank she worked.

Since then, Ann has been looking for a job, she has been to three interviews, despite the fact she has applied for over 50 positions.

While talking to a former colleague, she was asked about her personal brand. Ann didn’t know much about personal branding or how it could help her get a job.

During the career development training, Ann sought to understand what personal branding was, and what it had to do with her getting a job.

What is personal branding?

Personal branding (also referred to as professional branding) is how you position yourself as a brand in the job market. Your brand includes various aspects such as the skills you’re proficient in, the values you stand for, the experience you’ve garnered and the traits that set you apart as a professional.

While looking for a job, there are highlights you need to pay key attention to. These include a professionally written CV, a great cover letter, your references, and so on.

However, most job seekers applying for a particular job will have almost the same skills.

So what will set you apart? Your professional brand!

Three years back, we were recruiting for a leading NGO in the region. After the first interview, we narrowed down to two candidates; they both had excellent skills and prior experience required for the role.

The NGO’s management team arranged an interview with both of the candidates, then requested I sit in the interview and assist with deciding the best candidate for the position.

During the interviews, both the candidates put their best foot forward. However, it was evident one of the candidates was interested in the financial aspect. With every question, he took a financial angle –explaining how the organization can cut cost by subsidizing the quality of products. At one point, he spoke of how the NGO could make a profit from helping the community.

When it came to the second interviewee, her focus was on how the NGO could help the community more effectively, how they could reach everyone, and how they could improve the quality of the services and products offered to the community.

The second candidate got the job. The interviewers could not picture working with the first candidate. While he was qualified, his values did not match those of the NGO.

When you’re walking into the interview room, your professional brand should guide your answers.

However, personal branding doesn’t always apply at the interview stage. In most cases, your professional brand could decide whether you’re called in for the interview or not.

Here are three reasons why you should work on improving your professional brand and ultimately land that job.

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1. Showcase your professional statement on all your digital platforms

After an employer reviews your CV, they’ll decide if you’re what they’re looking for or not. If you match the skills and qualities the organization is looking for the employer will seek to know more about you before they call you in for the interview.

At this point, the hiring manager will likely Google you –so as to get a better feel of who you are. Use this opportunity to sell yourself even more.

On your digital platforms, display your professional brand where an employer can easily see. For instance, you can have your brand statement as part of your bio.

In the bio, briefly talk about your skills, experience, and the professional values you uphold.

2. Build meaningful relationships with your networks

I was recently having a conversation with a recruiting officer. She told me her inbox is always full of messages from job seekers looking for opportunities.

When relating to recruiters and other professionals, view yourself as a relatable person. The same goes to your networks, don’t just reach out to them telling them of the jobs you’re looking for.

Take some time and learn more about your networks. If you see an event that could benefit them, notify them.

For example, if you see a networking event for HR professionals, and you know a HR practitioner within your networks, you can inform them about the event.

Part of building a professional brand involves building meaningful and mutually beneficial relationships with your networks.

3. Be consistent in your branding

The way you present yourself to a hiring manager can either work for or against you. In the job market today, an employer has access to more than you’re willing to show.

For example, if you’re going for professionalism, that should be the message your brand showcases across every relevant platform.

A few years back, there was a story circulating mainstream media. The case was that of a professional who had been denied a position in a faith-based organization. Later, it was discovered he failed to get the position due to a video that had surfaced. The video showed the professional drunk and hurling all sorts of insults.

Your brand should be consistent all through. If there are any mishaps or inconsistencies, try and get ahead of the situation before it embarrasses you, or worse yet, costs you your dream job.

Ultimately, your job search process ends when you get your dream job or the job that will take your career to the next level. Having a great CV and working on your interviewing skills will help you. However, you need to remember other job seekers have the same qualifications and skills. As such, you want to create a positively unforgettable impression on the hiring manager. The most effective way to achieve this is by having a professional brand to help you sell your skills even more.

Perminus Wainaina is an experienced HR Practioner with over 15 years of experience in executive recruitment and selection, training, performance management, and Kenyan labour laws.

He has consulted for firms such as Safaricom Sacco, Oxfam, Un Women, Pacis Insurance, Windsor Golf, Muthaiga Country Club, etc. Currently, he represents the private sector at KEBS in the HR standardization committee.

52 Comments

  1. Hello Susan, that’ss unfortunate.
    Having a professional CV does help you in the job search.
    There are, however, a few other factors that influence your job search success. These are;
    1. The jobs you’re applying to -we always advise you apply for jobs you qualify for.
    2. The time you apply -you should always make an early application (within the first 48 hours from when the job was advertised.)

  3. Informing article. I now understand why I lost in my recent Research personnel interview. I was more inclined on Data Analysis when the organisation wanted somebody who will be an asset in online data collection

  5. You guys did my CV and I still can’t get shortlisted even with my MBA and over a decade experience in management !!!

  7. Hello Morris,
    Whether you accept a job or not should be guided by your motivating factor. What are you seeking to gain?
    If experience is what you’re looking for, you should have taken the job.
    If they gave the job to someone else, they’ll likely not take you up on your offer.

  8. We all have to start somewhere. Now that you’re informed, you can use this advantage to advance in your career or increase the chances of getting a job.

  10. In a case I did an interview and I was called for the job .The offer they gave was similar and in some aspects below what I currently get.I think the job was given to someone else and I now feel I could have accepted the offer for more experience.What could be the advice???can I write to them as a counter offer?

  12. So empowering. I just discovered I don’t know what my brand is. let me do my research.

  14. It is a very informative article. Personal branding is important.

    Am looking for a job and this information will help me.

  20. Thank you for the feedback.
    You can visit our offices during working hours.
    You can also give us a call or email us.

  23. I have read your articles and its really empowering. I am one of the job seekers in the world of NGOs.
    This is handy and very educative.

  33. That’s wonderful Annbel, it’s the practical and actionable steps that will help you move ahead in your career.

  35. Well put Betsy.
    Professional branding goes beyond the job search process. It is what will propel your career as a professional.

  40. Very Educative. Personal branding helps one to place herself/himself at a top notch in competitive job market. Personal branding starts from the CV and through the interview process. I personally believe job seekers should not only train themselves on answering the interview questions but to be oneself and brand themselves for the interviewers.

  42. Good evening,
    Very educative it’s really creating big impact to me as an individual..I have a big picture everyday of dos and don’ts of career path.thanks for your emails and insights Mr.wanaina

  45. Hi,

    I have the same dilemma when it comes to job searching. I have experience and the necessary qualifications as a senior HR professional, and have been applying for jobs with no positive answers. I need help to regain back my confidence.

  47. Well researched and thought after insights about personal branding.
    Keep up the good work.
    I have been continuously learning a lot from these professional nuggets from corporate staffing.
    Kindly let me know how I can be able to have a one on one conversation at your offices.

  49. I have been applying for jobs but no response is coming out.
    Kindly assist me get a job.

    I have specialized in Secretarial management

  51. Always empowering job seekers and people who want to grow in their careers. So educative.

  52. Always empowering job seekers and people who need to grow in their careers. So educative.

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