Everyone has a personal brand, whether they know it or not. It’s important for everyone to clearly define their personal brand, but it’s especially critical for high-level executives. As C-level personal branding has increased in importance, the myths surrounding it have also grown in number and prevalence. The truth is many people believe these myths, which can negatively impact their personal branding. Here are the top five myths you should know about, and most importantly, shouldn’t believe.
Myth 1: Your Personal Brand Is Equivalent to Your Reputation
You’re allowed to keep your personal life separate from your business/online life. You may have a completely different reputation with your family and friends than with your business colleagues, and there’s nothing wrong with that!
Myth 2: Personal Branding Isn’t Necessary
Many people underestimate the power of personal branding for senior level managers. Just like a reputation, it takes some time to build a solid personal brand, but it can also be ruined in a matter of seconds. If you think personal branding isn’t necessary, think again.
Myth 3: Personal Branding Is Manufactured
C-level personal branding is only effective if it’s not fake. People who try to make themselves sound better than they really are will only hurt themselves in the long run. Top executives can see right through manufactured personal branding so you won’t be doing yourself any good to create a false personal brand.
Myth 4: Personal Branding Takes a Lot of Time
The art of personal branding for senior level managers isn’t as time consuming as people make it out to be. Yes, you have to work on it a little bit, but you shouldn’t have to spend extra time on your personal brand. Every email you respond to or phone call you take either helps or hurts your personal brand. Just be conscious about your actions and your personal brand will essentially develop itself.
Myth 5: Your Personal Brand Makes You Look Selfish
You may try to make yourself look good on a resume or cover letter, but C-level personal branding is different. As a top executive, you likely have many leadership roles. Being a good leader is one of the best ways to give your personal brand a good image. If you’re able to help others do their jobs better and advance in the rankings, how could you possibly seem selfish?
Most people focus on polishing up their resume, but don’t spend much time thinking about their personal branding. What are you known for? What do you excel at? Many top resume writing services will emphasize your personal brand in your resume, which actually makes it even stronger.