Your personal brand and why as a recently qualified accountant it’s important to protect it…

“It’s not what you know, it’s not who you know, it’s who knows you”. – Susan RoAne

We all know the world is a small place, and the business world is even smaller. How you are perceived and seen by others, especially in the workplace and beyond, is so important and can, and most definitely does, affect your professional career and future.

The good news is that you can influence this…and that’s where your personal brand comes in.

What is a personal brand?

A personal brand is essentially how you want people to see you.

It can be influenced and shaped by every interaction you have, whether that is in person, in writing and or online. What you say, how you present yourself, what information you share, what you post and comment on on your social media platforms…are just a few examples of actions that form your personal brand.

Why is it relevant for you as a recently qualified accountant, especially now?

At the moment there are huge amounts of opportunities available for qualified accountants. However, there are also lots of others like you in a similar position, so how do you get ahead and stand out from the crowd to make sure you secure THE best opportunities?

Focusing on developing your personal brand is one strategic and positive step to ensuring you put your best foot forward in standing out from the crowd.

Here are my top tips when it comes to your career and starting to develop your personal brand:

1. Take a moment out to really think about it – Before you dive in and start working on developing your personal brand take a moment to stop and think about how you want people to see you. What is it that is important to you? What are the values you adhere to? What do you enjoy? How do you see yourself in a professional capacity and where is it you want to be/progress to? The answers to these, and more, questions are the building blocks to your personal brand.
2. Be true to yourself and most of all be authentic – An authentic personal brand is built on your values, and what it is that is truly important to you and what you stand for. By zoning in and identifying your personal values you can then integrate them into what you say, share, how you present yourself etc. Not only will this help you stay authentic, but it will also help you to connect with like-minded individuals who share your values and to build a more sustainable network.
3. Focus in on and leverage off your unique skills and expertise – In a market where you are competing with other recently qualified accountants who have gained similar experience you may question how your skills and expertise are different to theirs, and how you can stand out from the crowd. The best (and slightly obvious) news is that first up you most certainly can differentiate yourself. Yes, the work experience gained may be the similar to that of your peers, however your individual experience is different, and you as an individual have developed different skills from your peers. Take a moment to truly assess your unique and individual skills and expertise and play to these when sharing your knowledge and insights across your activity to build your personal brand.
4. Be consistent – Not only consistent in your messaging, language and values, but also in your activity across the various channels and platforms you decide to use. There are lots of different ways in which you can communicate your personal brand to others…blogs, video, social media posts, interviews, getting involved in committees, attending events, networking etc. For success, consistency really is key and you need to continuously show up! For example, sharing an insightful post on LinkedIn once a week is plenty, however for real impact you need to do it each week consistently…this will help you to establish a clear and recognisable personal brand that people will easily connect with and remember.
5. Imitation might be the greatest form of flattery but avoid falling into that trap – There is an enormous amount of information, content and insights out there that you can use to help build your personal brand. The easy route would be to simply copy what you like and share it out as your own, however people can easily see through that. To really be successful, identify what you like and use it as inspiration to craft your own information, content and insights. Not only will this be unique but will also be authentic to you. To enhance it even further where you can incorporate storytelling into your personal brand messaging and activity to make it more engaging, relatable and memorable, and to develop a better connection with your network and audience.

Get in Touch With Us

Barden is where recently qualified accountants go before they start looking for a job.

When you meet Barden you will be meeting Ireland’s most experienced financial recruitment team, many of whom are themselves accounting and tax qualified.

Your future is too important to leave to chance. Take control, get informed and plan your professional future with Barden. Drop us an email at hello@barden.ie and we’ll get in touch to arrange a time and date that suits you to start planning your professional future.