Author: Chantal Haynes- Curley

To understand your brand first you must identify the behaviours,values, principles, and overall characteristics that make up your brand. 

Reflect on your key strengths, weaknesses and interests in key areas such as;

• Thematic areas - what sectors am I interested in and what skills/ experience do I have in this/ these area(s)?
• Principles - what are my core values and beliefs? What do I hold myself and others accountable to?
• General interests - what do I enjoy doing in my spare time? 
• Character/ behaviour traits - What would others say about me if asked? ( E.g., reliable, career focused)
• Achievements - What are my biggest achievements? ( School, college, Work, voluntary, sports. etc.)
• Activities - What activities do I enjoy the most?
• Skills - what are my transferrable skills, and what are my technical skills? where have i applied these skills?
• Motivators - What makes me strive to better myself and add value?

While reflecting on these points, think of times where you have applied these skills, behaviours, etc. and the work that you have put in to developing them.

If you need help, simply consult others who know you well, or who have worked, volunteered, or studied with you.  You can send out an anonymous survey or you can simply ask them how they would describe you.

While you may identify many strengths, it is important for you to hone in on the most prominent. The reason being you do not want your brand to be too broad, as this will limit impact. It is better to excel in a specific area as this is what will help to market your brand.

Identifed weaknesses will become your areas for continued personal and professional development - these are the areas where you need to improve or gain new knowledge in order to advance your career and your brand.

Thinking of your career trajectory and the attributes required to achieve your goals will help you to determine what you want to focus on as part of your continued professional development.