The Importance of Your Personal Brand

Whether you’re working for a startup or a corporate giant like Visa, Target, or JP Morgan Chase, your personal brand helps to define your professional identity. This brand is not just about showcasing your GitHub contributions, but about telling your unique story. It’s about how you solved a particular problem or contributed to a project, not just about the technologies you used.

Building Your Brand Story

Building your personal brand starts with self-reflection. Here are three questions to ask yourself:

1. Who are you professionally? Identify your top three technical specialties, professional specialties, and team contributions.

2. Who are you personally? Identify three interests and hobbies, your most important beliefs and values, and aspects of your social, family, or community life that you want to connect with people over.

3. How do you connect with people? Identify shared interests, the advice or information you’re seeking, and what you want to know about other people.

Answering these questions gives you a wealth of material to draw from when telling your story and helps you identify your strengths and areas of expertise.

Show, Don’t Tell

When you’re creating your brand content, remember the old adage: show, don’t tell. Instead of proclaiming yourself a “thought leader,” demonstrate your expertise through your work. Share your accomplishments in a way that highlights how your work benefited others, not just yourself. This approach makes your story more engaging and relatable.

Embrace Vulnerability

Being open about what you don’t know can be a powerful part of your personal brand. It shows that you’re a lifelong learner, open to new ideas and willing to grow. Plus, asking for help or resources can lead to valuable connections and insights.

Pay It Forward

Sharing your knowledge and helping others is a powerful way to build your personal brand in tech. It demonstrates your expertise and your willingness to support your peers. This approach is not about trading favors but about creating a positive ripple effect in your community.

In conclusion, building a personal brand in tech is about more than just showcasing your skills. It’s about telling your story, connecting with others, and contributing to your community. By being authentic, open, and generous, you can create a personal brand that truly stands out.

Links to Resources Mentioned

• Keep a Brag Book
• KubeCampus: Free Kubernetes Training
• Purposeful Personal Branding - Nov 2018 Slides 13-15 have the 3 questions
  
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