Credit: http://www.mashable.com
As I was reading this great summary post on Personal Branding from @UndercoverRec, it struck me that I really don’t understand all the energy being generated in social media on the topic. It’s not that I do not think branding is important and that I don’t think that I could use lots of help on my own brand. I just wonder, is Personal Branding being over-hyped?
Personal Branding pioneer @DanSchawbel was one of the first people that I found and followed on Twitter and I still enjoy following his blog and other enterprises. I just feel like every 3rd post I see is on personal branding and I just don’t get why other topics like Career Acceleration, Mastering Performance Reviews, Getting Bigger Raises or How to Get a Job (all self-serving, I know) aren’t getting more attention.
Maybe Dan has been so successful promoting the topic that others are trying to hitch on to his success. Maybe with record unemployment people are seeking any advantage they can get and are making great customers for the Personal Branding message. Perhaps my gray hair is getting in the way. I need your help. Here are some of my questions:
1) Most of the Personal Branding content seems to be aimed at those at the entry-level in their career. Doesn’t it make more sense for young people to be totally focused on knowledge and skill development that will be important for their career growth? Is it really possible for a programmer or accountant with 6 months of experience to have a brand? (As a hiring manager, what I am seeking at that level is a hard worker with an unquenchable thirst for knowledge)
2) Isn’t the Personal Branding message better targeted to entrepreneurs than employees? If I were a large employer, do I really want my Director of Customer service branding herself “The Call Center Queen”, especially if she is doing so on company time?
3) As I think back over my career, my value/brand has evolved. I have gone from “tech weenie”, to “coach”, to “trusted advisor”, to “entrepreneur” back to “trusted advisor”. Most of the people that I know evolve in similar ways. As I think how much it costs a company to re-brand, imagine how much it would cost for individuals to build new websites, blogs, and Twitter persona’s as they evolve. Can most employees really afford the time and money it takes to effectively build and maintain a personal brand?
I really would appreciate your thoughts on these questions! Thank you!
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{ 8 comments… read them below or add one }
A lot of people don’t consider that personal branding, as a concept, existed since 1997 and the idea behind the concept was always alive. Social media was the driver and widespread awareness and adoption of the term because all types of brands have the same privileges online.
Dan – thanks so much for your comment! My perspective continues to be that you have really brought the concept of personal branding to the forefront and I am and avid follower of your efforts. It seems to me that many have jumped on the bandwagon with more “watered down” and less thoughtful content than you are providing. I value the concept, but think that some of the bandwagon jumpers are applying it to broadly. Maybe I still don’t get it, but that was that reason for my post. I was looking for others’ perspective. Thanks for sharing your’s and best wishes through the Holidays!
Joe,
Your question is a good one! I like how you’ve presented it here in an unbiased, questioning format. As it turns out, I was involved in a debate that answered the very question you’ve asked (I was lucky enough to win the debate!) Read my answer, and that of my opposition, here: http://bit.ly/3iIMjO
Ryan – thanks for your comment and for pointing me to http://www.getperspectives.com ! I will be an avid follower of the debates!
To answer the question, I believe the personal brand”ing” has become overhyped and commoditized in the wrong way.
I also agree that Dan (and others) have done a remarkable job adding value in career content. Dan separates himself by creating his career so I find him credible and that is why I feed his blog posts and the team he assembles on my forum.
My concern is far too many brand”ing” experts online (personal, product, business…) have no experience with strategy and have not built a brand. Simply, brand”ing” becomes marketing and is written by citizen journalists. Full brand management and brand marketing is lost and what remains is self promotion and using tools for such activity.
Thanks so much for your comments David. Your insights are the detail that I was seeking to better understand the popularity and what I believe to be the “watering down” of the concept of personal branding. Best wishes! Joe
I know I am adding my 20 cents worth late on this post, bit it did catch my eye. I think persona; branding becomes too superficial if people do not really understand what they personally value and what makes them unique. It’s like companies that have a corporate social responsibility web page because it is part of a communication strategy, not because that is something they genuinely believe in. People are smart. They can smell insincerity a mile off.
Hi Karalyn – I could not agree more. Walk the talk, do what you say, say what you mean and be successful! Thanks for your great insight!