What are people saying about you when you’re not in the room?

Moving ahead in your career has a lot to do with the “brand” you project. Take control of that brand and make it work for you

Star performers know exactly what talents and value they bring to their organization and to their colleagues . They make sure others know it as well. As a result, they are perceived as the go-to-people for advice or to get something done right. They stand out from the pack, have a wide network of mentors, and exude confidence. In short, they have a successful brand.

Your personal brand matters. It defines how you think about yourself, how other people think about you and what opportunities they will offer you. Ultimately, your brand will drive your career success no matter what field you work in. So here are my Top 10 Tips for a great brand:

1. Play to your strengths – know what you’re good at and build your brand around those attributes. Are you the creative genius, the deep thinker, the great businessperson? That is the basis of your brand.
   
2. Make your branding strategy a priority – looking for ways to enhance your brand is just as important as getting your daily work done. Book those lunch dates, write that professional article, ask to be part of the team for that important new project.
   
3. Make sure your brand is appropriate in your chosen career. If you build your brand around taking big risks, you shouldn’t work for a pension fund.
   
4. Be authentic – if you pretend to be something you’re not, the truth will catch up with you. Think about Tiger Woods. And don’t risk your reputation – the one mistake you can’t recover from is to be caught cheating. Dishonesty is a terrible brand.
   
5. Ask for opportunities. It’s a myth that people know what you want, and will come to you with offers. Tell people what you can do, and volunteer to make the speech, meet with the new client, or work on the new strategy.
   
6. Be honest with yourself. Find out what your brand is today – so that you can take steps to get to the brand you want. Enlist a mentor or HR professional to ask your colleagues – or ask the questions yourself: “how would you describe me to someone who has never met me?” “What kinds of projects do you think I would be good at – and what kinds would I not be good at?”
   
7. It’s not all about you. This tip may be counter-intuitive; after all, we are talking about your personal brand. But a great brand is one that adds value to your organization and to your colleagues. A great brand says “I can help make our whole team successful.” You won’t enhance your brand by criticizing others.
   
8. Get help. Finding role models who can mentor you will accelerate the development of your brand. Mentors can provide advice, give you realistic assessments of your current brand, and open doors to new opportunities. Start by offering to buy coffee for someone you admire in exchange for some career advice.
   
9. Build strong relationships. If you provide value to others, they will want to keep in touch, do business with you, and introduce you to others. Contacts are not relationships – just because you are connected with someone on LinkedIn does not mean you have a relationship. Make an effort to get to know the other person, and find out how you can help each other.
   
10. Keep it current. You may have had a strong brand 5 years ago, but has it kept up with changes in the marketplace, in your organization, and in the role you now have? Working on your personal brand is something you need to keep doing throughout your career.