What Is a Personal Brand?

Abstract

According to historian Yuval Harari, we are living in the 4th Industrial Revolution, in which individuals compete for resources in new ways (Harari 2015). Those who best know how to define themselves and promote their identity can better adapt and capitalize on economic opportunities. Harari emphasizes that the ability to improve emotional intelligence and personality will become a more valuable skill-set than computer coding. Personal brand management starts with a person’s identity. The concept of a personal brand identity is one that allows an individual to analyze and define themselves by using their unique personalities, associations, and traits to construct an idealized self. A personal brand is the public-facing nexus of a person’s core identity, projected image, and value proposition. Only once a brand identity has been established and recognized by the audience, can the brand image be constructed and managed. Ultimately, a personal brand creates a sentiment of its image each time it is exposed to stakeholders. Therefore, personal branding is something that one must be aware of throughout their professional life cycle because it is a strong asset against industry competition.