Personal Brand Workbook

Personal

Brand

Workbook

www.pwc.com/j obs

Personal Brand workbook

Welcome to your personal brand experience

This personal brand experience is your opportunity to learn more about yourself, so

you can make decision s and plans that maximize your university experience and

chart a course for your career. It will also help you position yourself , so you can reach

your goals.

What’s your brand?

In short, it’s your reputation. Each interaction you have with others has t he

opportunity to create a memorable experience, teaching them what they can expect

from you. When you’re consistent in delivering those experiences, you build a strong

reputation. Delivering your brand clearly and consistently acros s a wide audience

helps open doors to opportunities. Your brand becomes your personal calling card—a

unique promise of value; a distinct and authentic representation of you. In building

your personal brand, you will define your indiv iduality, maximize your strengths and

manage your choices now to create fu ture opportunities.

Step up to stand out

PwC has created a personal brand experience to help you find and showcase your

strengths so you can stand out from the crowd. By tapping into your unique skills,

talents and passions, you can leap off the pages of your resume and top of mind to

your recruiters. Use the activities offered here to take charge of your professional

success—stand out while being you r best self.

Good luck and enjoy the journey.

Your

Personal

Brand

Dene your

X Factor

Understand your

whY Factor

Eliminate your

Zzz Factor

Ready,

set,

Show

Your

Personal

Brand

Dene your

X Factor

Personal Brand workbook

Unle ash your super skill

People with strong brands are clear about who they are. They know and m aximize their

strengths. Here, we give you the opportunity to uncover and define your skills and strengths.

You’ll be using a three-step process, Document, Distil and Validate.

Document

To help guide you through this exercise, answer the questions below:

1. What are the strengths that others acknowledge in me?

2. When working on a team, what roles do I seek to fulfil?

3. When faced with an overwhelming obstacle, what are my “go to” skill s to overcome it?

4. What was the most successful project I ever tackled and what made me successful?

5. What was the mos t important tea m role I ev er fulfilled and why?

Personal Brand workbook

Distil

To deeper your introspection, answer the questions below:

1. What strengths and skills came up over and over again?

2. Which are my motivating skills—the skills that excite me?

3. What are my burnout skills—the skills I’ve mastered b ut would rather not use every day?

4. Which strengths and skills are going to be most helpful in achieving my career goals ?

5. What skills are missing? What skills would I like to build but have not yet had the

opportunity to practice?

Personal Brand workbook

Based on your responses to the previous questions, document your top five strengths—your

super skills. For example, you might use words like “creative,” “relationship-creator,” or

“make the complex simple.” Then, you can start to validate your self-perception with

feedback from others.

you

Validate

Up to now, the exercise has been focused on your o wn perceptions. Now, it’s time to validate

what you documented about yourself. Do others experience your super skills? Would they

agree with your assessment? You have a couple of options for completing this part of the

process:

Option 1

Post the following to your Facebook wall: As part of PwC’s Personal brand experience, I

completed an exercise to help me unearth my strengths. I came up with “Strength 1, strength

2, strength 3.” What do you think are my greatest strengths?

Option 2

Ask your friends, professors, and others in your brand community (unprompted) what they

think sets you apart from others, then compare their responses to your self-assessment. You

could do this in person or v ia email or social media, w hichever you think may give you the

most honest responses to help you complete your profile. If you choose email or social media,

you can also consider setting up a free and anonymous survey using a tool such as Survey

Monkey.

Personal Brand workbook

Conquer your weake st point

Stress can leave y ou depleted. I t ca n weaken your immu ne system, affect your sleep and drain

your adrenals while impacting every facet of your life, your relationships and your success. It

can also have a negative impact on your personal brand.

Stress is the body’s response to a threat or demand such as homework, a test, applying for

college, going on an interview, dating, being in an argument, unresolved conflict, lack of

sleep, lack of money, a dentist appointment or being late.

One way to help manage your stress is to b e clear about the who, what, when, where, why and

how of your stress. Once you have figured out some of your stress triggers, you can

implement stress-management tec hniques designed to best address your specific stressors

and symptoms.

Document

Some stressors are on-going, chronic and may be predictable. Others are unexpected,

potentially life-changing, and often out of your control. Even when you’re the person who

controls the decision that leads to stress, it may be no less stressful. But with warning, you

have some choices about how to react.

Reflect on the la st 1 2 months of your life to answer the questions belo w.

What key cha n ges have you experienced in the past 12 months?

Please, list them here. For each change, place a chec k mark next to C if it was in your

control and place check mark next t o O if it was out of your control (e.g., change in living

arrangements, started freshman year of col lege, loss of financial security, loss of a loved

one, etc.).

1. C O

2. C O

3. C O

4. C O

5. C O

Personal Brand workbook

Distil

What are your stress triggers that are likely to show up repeatedly in your life? Often these

are the things within your control, or at the very least, under your influence. Sometimes these

are things that fall short of your expectations for yourself and others and sometimes they are

violations of your values. Paying close attention to what causes stress will be the first step

down the yellow brick road to finding the cure.

1. Things you do that cause you stress (e.g. lat e to class, unprepared, overcommitting,

people pleasing, money management, conflict management, etc.)

2. Things that other peop le do that annoy you (e.g. being late, goss i ping, not pulling their

weight, sloppy work, borrowing money, arguing)

Validate

Taking a proactive approach to either prevent or mitigate those stressors that cause chronic

or repeated stress will likely address 80% of the stressors in your everyday life.

Consider these three actions:

1. Talk with friend s to share best ideas on stress reduction.

2. Go online to f ind sites that focus on stress reduction.

3. Check out the stress tips below and select s ome op tions you will put to the test now. If they work, you

will have lowered your stress. If they don’t, try another method.

To eliminate unnecessary stress:

• Set an alarm to prompt you to leave for class/appointments with time to spare.

• Block time on your calendar for the preparation that must be done in advance of a due date or meeting.

• Schedule a 10-15 minute buffer between meetings or classes to allow time for a last minute note, a phone

call or closure of an activity to avoid loose ends or a series of unfinished promises to do later.

• Set clear expectations with people in your life who are perpetually late or inconsiderate. Great boundaries

make great r elationsh ips.

• Commit to things that are in synch with your values.

Personal Brand workbook

To build your stress coping reserves:

• Sleep is the best natural rejuvenator for your b ody, br ain and mood. Go to bed earlier in 15

minute increments. The sleep you get before midnight t ak es advantage of your body’s

natural cycles for deepest sleep. Add a warm bath or shower before bed and you will sleep

more soundly.

• Light and heat impact sleep quality and quantity. Darken and cool your bedroom and turn

off your electronics. Blue light from electronics inter feres with sl eep qua lity up to two

hours after exposure.

• Take a walk and move your bod y at least 30-60 minutes a day—especially when your day

is filled with lots of sitting in class or homework in front of the computer.

• Get fresh air every day. Practice deep breathing. Get in a relaxed sitting or recl ining

position. Breathe deeply through your nose, filling your lungs to the point that your

diaphragm expands. Slowly let the air escape through your mouth. Repeat 10 times.

• Exercise regularly. J o ining a class or finding exercise buddies will help provide motivation.

• Take down time, even in the midst o f a big project or deadline. Your productivity and

concentration flag after about three hours of intense focus. Even a 20 minute break will

allow you to come back more alert and focused.

• Eat well and r egularly. Junk food has been proven to create brain fog, leaving you in a

weakened condition to think and act clear l y .

To mitigate stressful interactions that may be on-going:

• Try to meet the expectations of others without a wholesale sacrifice of your own needs is a

stressor that can repeat itself over a lifetime. Remember when you say “yes” to something,

you’re saying “no” to something else.

• Develop some simple sentences that you can say to buy you some time when under

pressure to respond before you are ready. Examples:

That’s a great question that I am going to need some time to think about.

What an in teresting point of view. It’s always goo d to have different perspectives.

Yes, I’m so glad you asked and hope you will again when I can take you up on it.

You’re just the person I want to talk to as soon as I get free from this projec t.

Now add your own…

Create your list here of add itional ideas you have lear ned from your friends here.

Personal Brand workbook

Make a com mitment to yourself. What three stress tips will you test for the n ext 21 days?

(Studies indicate it takes 21 consecutive days of practicing a behavior to create a new habit.)

Your

Personal

Brand

Understand your

whY Factor

Personal Brand workbook

Understanding your Y factor i s pivotal to designing a career plan that connects with your

values, passions and purpose. When yo u’re living in alignment with your values and

integrating your passions into what you do, you are excited, engaged and totally unstoppable.

Let’s start your opportunity engine now to allow you to align who you are with what you do

and how you do it. The following activities will help you to tru ly differenti ate yours elf from

others because you’ll be super charged with your unique promise of value. It’s time to focus

on your values, passions and clarify your purpose. This will help you develop your own

internal r oad map that points your decision-making in the right direction.

Values

What’s your “north star?”

Your values are like your personal compass—they provide direction for your choices and

behaviours. In this three-step exercise, you’ll work towards identifying, defining, and aligning

your v alues.

Step 1: Identify your top five values

• Go through the list of values in the table on the next page and eliminate wor ds that don’t

resonate with you.

• Go through the list again and place a check mark next to the values that are important to

you.

• G o through the short l ist of values you checked and from that l ist, pick your t op five

values.

• Once you’ve identified your top five values, now rank them.

Personal Brand workbook

Values

Accessibility Courage Growth Prosperity

Accomplishment Creativity Health Punctuality

Accountability Curiosity Honesty Recognition

Accuracy Dependability Humour Relaxation

Adventure Determination Imagination Reliability

Affection Directness Impact Resourcefulness

Affluence Discipline Independence Respect

Altruism Diversity Integrity Security

Ambition Efficiency Intelligence Sensitivity

Assertiveness Empathy Justice Significance

Balance Enthusiasm Kindness Sincerity

Bravery Excellence Knowledge Speed

Calmness Experience Leadership Spirituality

Celebrity Expertise Learning Spontaneity

Challenge Fairness Love Stability

Charity Faith Loyalty Strength

Clarity Fame Mindful ness Success

Comfort Family Optimism Sympathy

Commitment Fidelity Originality Teamwork

Compassion Flexibility Passion Understanding

Completion Fun Peace Vision

Contentment Generosity Perfection Wealth

Control Grace Power Winning

Personal Brand workbook

List your top five values here and rank them:

You’ll complete the rest as part of Steps 2 and 3.

Rank Value Definition

Alignm ent: 1 234 5

Step 2: Define your top five values

The words you selected are important because they mean something specific to you. It’s

important to be clear about exact l y wh at these words mean to you, as sometimes people have

different interpretations of the same word. For example, two people may have selected

flexibility. To one, flexibility means the ability to be nimble in work style on a day-to-day

basis; to an other, flexibility means the interest in adding va lue to different typ es of

organizations or working on different types of projects.

Since the words you chose resonate with you, you likely have a stro ng association with a way

of describing them that is both personal and powerful to you.

Write a sentence to each value that defines what the value means to you.

Step 3: Align

Now, perform a quick self-assessment to measure your alignment with these values. For each

value, give yourself a score of 1 to 5, where 1 indicates I am really not living this value and 5

indicates I live this value very consistently.

Personal Brand workbook

Validate

Select the value that you feel is most out of alignment and m ost critical to your happiness and

success. Focus on this value for the next 21 days. (Remember, studie s indicate it takes 21

consecutive days of practicing a behaviour to create a new habit.) Each day, reflect on how

you might employ that value in what you are doing. Just the act of having that value present

in your mind each day will allow your subconscious to do some of the work for you as you

seek new ways to be in alignment.

Tips

• Write that value on a piece of paper and post it where you can see it.

• Create a screen saver of your top five values with the one you will focus on changing in a

different co lour.

• Write that value on the top of your to-do list for the next 21 days.

Personal Brand workbook

Passions

What makes you come alive?

Unleashing your passions

Your passions fuel your actions. When you integrate your passions into what you do, not only

are you more engaged, you create a powerhouse of enthusiasm, eng agement and in spiratio n

for those around you. In this exercise, you’ll have the opportunity to step back and think

about your passions, how you can integrat e them into what you do and how you can connect

them with your career goals.

Document

Begin by enterin g your responses to the qu estions below:

1. What would I do with my summer if mon ey weren’t an issue?

2. What are my favourite activities?

3. Why did I choose these particular university studies?

4. What type of people am I drawn to?

5. What volunteer activity do I fi n d com pelling?

Personal Brand workbook

Distil

Now, take a look at your responses and ask yourself these questions:

1. Was there a connection across responses?

2. Am I connecting my passions with my studies and career goals?

3. How can I pursue a volunteer activity that’s in li n e with my passions?

Validate

Make a commi tment to create a pas sion integ ration plan. Use the space below to document

ways you will integrate your passions into your day-to-day activities and connect them with

your goals.

Action 1

Action 2

Action 3

Personal Brand workbook

Purp o se

What is your destination?

Exploring your purpose

Your purpose is your big picture, internal vision of what you would like to achieve. When you

combine clear values, engage your passions and take on purpose action, you can follow your

personal road map to the destinations you choose.

Document

It is important to visualize your preferred future and really consider what you want to

experienc e and accomplish in your life and the impact it will have on those around you as

well a s t hose you may never meet. For those of you who have never been through a guided

visualization activity, this may feel a little awkward at first. If so, consider repeating it at a

later date when you can experience the greatest benefit. This will work best if you’re able to

choose a quiet place and time where you will be undisturbed f or at least 20 minutes.

Do this exercise when you’re with a friend who can read the guided visualization script on the

next page. That way, you can relax and i mmerse yourself in th e experience. Now, get

comfort able. Turn off your inner cynic and let your imagination run free—barefo oted.

Guided visualization script:

Congratulations!

You have graduated and have really begun establishing a life for yourself. (Pau se 5

seconds.)

In the mail today, you received the invitation to your high school reunion. A lot has

happened since you last saw some of your clas smates. (Pause 5 seconds.)

You stop to reflect on the many changes that have occurred over the past 10 years.

It p robably feels like a wh i rlwind. (Pause 10 seconds.)

You are mentally and emotionally preparing yourself for the conversations you will

have with your classmates and friends. You are eager to share your achievements

that gave you the greatest sense of accomplishment. You are eager to share what

you’re doi n g now and what you hope to d o in t he next f i ve years. (Pause 5 seconds.)

You are thinking about your first full-time job out of school. (Pause h ere for 5

seconds.)

Were you ready? (Pause for 10 seconds.)

Remember gettin g your own place and realizing all the freedom you had and all the

bills that were now yours to pay. (Pause 5 seconds.)

Personal Brand workbook

Perhaps you are in a committed relationship. Married? Family? Or m aybe you’re

considering the possibi lities. What are you looki n g forw ard to sharing about your

life? (Pause 15 s econd s)

What have you learned from negotiatin g and navigating life, work and the world?

(Pause 15 seconds.)

What are you doing now? (Pause 10 seconds)

Who is in your life? (Pause 10 seconds)

What impact are you having on those around you? (Pause 15 seconds)

What is next for you that will creat e the impac t you hope to hav e on your work , life

and world? (Pause 15 seconds)

When you have finish ed reflecting, ta ke several deep breat hs, open your eyes and

stretch. Once you are f ully ready, document what you will be saying about the life

you are leading and the impacts you aspire to have.

Capture here your journey back to the future:

You can either document all your thoughts or capture key elements. Write it in first person

with an active voice, as though you were telling the story to another person right now. “I

am…” “I have…” “I enjoy…” “I will…”

Personal Brand workbook

Distil

Capt ure key ideas and elem en ts

1. What has b een important t o you?

2. Who is on this journey with you?

3. What you are doing that fuels your pass i on ?

4. What are you w orking toward/have accomplished that gi ves you a sense of purpose?

5. Where you are headed next?

Validate

Look at your responses. Do you see your values, passions and purpose showing up in your

visu al ization?

Use different c olour highlighters to help you put all the fuel possible into your opportunity

engine. For example, consider highlighting:

Values in blue Passions in green Purpose in yellow

Are all the colours represented?

Did you learn anything new that you would add to your values, passions and pur pose that are

needed to meet your highest aspirations?

Personal Brand workbook

Build your brand and make an impact

Givin g back is an outward expression of your values and purpose and an opportunity to

demonstrate yo ur super skills. Giving back is good for society, it’s empowering and inspiring

for you and those you will influence and it’s an important part of successful branding! In thi s

exercise, you’ll identify the philanthropic options that will be most meaningful to you.

Document

Clarifying your unique strengths, values, passi ons and purpose gives you great d irection and

criteria for what to say “yes” to and what to say “no” to when faced with the many

opportunities and requests you will encounter over a lifetime. Let the work you h ave done to

this point in your branding journey b e your guide to choosing how you will use your time.

I want to use this giving back opportunity to:

… Showcase a strength

… Develop a new skill

… Align with my values

… Employ my passions

… Fulfil my purpose

Distil

Use the questions below to help you begin to find a cause that’s right for you.

Skills/Strengths:

Which of th e super skills you identified wou ld you like to s howcase or which skill was

missi n g that you’d like to build?

Values:

Look at your values. Which cause(s) might connect with those values?

Passions:

Personal Brand workbook

Think about your passions. Think about what type of cause might connect with those

pass ions. What organizations may align with those causes?

Goals:

What is your goal for an internship or the job you would like to have when you graduate?

Purpose:

What might move you toward your internal vision for the future?

Personal Brand workbook

Refer to the two examples belo w:

Example 1 Example 2

Skills/strengths:

Relationship-building, collaboration

Skills/strengths:

Managing people, teaching, coaching

Values:

Respect, excellence, discipline, caring for others ,

generosity

Values:

Teamwork, winning, competition, optimism,

growth

Passions:

Animals (pets)

Passions:

Sports, entrepreneurship

Goals:

Ideal first job out of school: working with a

healthcare organization, working on developing

therapies that help people

Goals:

First internship: working for a consulting firm that

has high tech start-ups as clients, or working for a

start-up

Purpose:

To lead a national initiative that influences the

provision of al ternative healthcare services to

underserved and disadva n taged people

Purpose:

To launch a successful business that employs my

love of sports and l everages my tec hnical expertise

for online delivery and engagement; To deliver

team and leadership training services based on

sports theory

Potential organizations:

local non-profit veterinary clinic, dog rescue

organisation, no n-profit clinic for the homeless

Potential organizations:

School extracurricular sports programs, loc al small

business associations, etc.

Potential roles:

Welcome reception, greeting clients, working a s part

of a team to make animal issues visible, working

across organizations getting them to collaborate

Potential roles:

Starting a sports organization at school, teaching

and co aching students on different projects,

managing a small project for an entrepreneurial

organization

Validate

Now it’s time to act for impact. Commit t o at least one act ion below to get you started on your

road to giving.

• Check websites and phone or tablet applications for opportunities based on interests, causes, needs, skills and

locati o ns that are in alignment wi th your values, purpose, pa ssions, pot ential roles and goals outlined

previously.

• Call or v isit the organizations that sound like the bes t fit.

• Volunteer for a day, a project, or a week to gift your service and test the fit with the volunteer opportunity.

Even if it turns out not to be the best fit for you, both you and th ose receiving your service will have benefitted

and it will get you one step closer to clarifying what you want to do.

• Check your state and city website for additional opportunities in your area. Ma ny large employers have

volunteer programs that can also link you to opportunities that will be a fit for your interests. Do some

homework on an employer you’d like to work for and see if they have volunteer opportunities that you can join.

Your

Personal

Brand

Eliminate your

Zzz Factor

Personal Brand workbook

Be a keeper, not a sleeper

Personal branding is about standing out while being yourself—your best self. You need to

step up to stand out. Let’s investigate the ways to help you be a keeper, not a sleeper.

Professional presence

How will you tell your story? What impact will your presence make b efore you even say a

word? How will you make sure that you’re mem orable? How will you remain yourself while

putting your best foot forward? How will you prepare to pursue the opportunities that align

with your road map? What will you do to create a network that will open those doors to allow

you to powerfully introduce yourself and stand out during an interview?

Telling your story goes beyond what you say. What you do says a lot about you as well.

Remember, first impressions last. Don’t let something as small as professional attire or body

language block all your roads before you’ve even said a word.

Personal Brand workbook

Document

Professional presenc e—self-reflection profile

Let’s assess where you are right now. Choose your response. There is no right or wrong

answer.

How comfortable are you with …? (1: Not at all 5: Very)

Being yourself in all situations?

1 2345

Easily and openly expressing your ideas/opinions in a group

conversation?

1 2345

Knowing how to dress appropriately for each setting and event you

attend?

1 2345

Speaking before a group of people?

1 2345

Making eye contact with people you have just met?

1 2345

Introducing people in formal settings?

1 2345

Starting conversations with people you don’t know well?

1 2345

Disagreeing with someone else in a way that doesn’t cause conflict or

angst?

1 2345

Apologizing when you’re wrong so that the other person a ccepts it?

1 2345

Accepting responsibility when your efforts fall short?

1 2345

How consistent are you at…? (1: No t at all 5: Very)

Following up and delivering on promises?

1 2345

Being prompt for appointments, deadlines, due dates, class, dinner,

meetings?

1 2345

Doing what you say you will do, when you say you will do it, at the

quality to which you commit?

1 2345

Keeping t rack of details, calendar ev ent s and commitments?

1 2345

Keeping confidences?

1 2345

Not repeating, encouraging or engaging in gossip?

1 2345

Conveying positivity in your interactions?

1 2345

Entering a room with confidence?

1 2345

Personal Brand workbook

How consistent are you at…? (1: Never 5: All the time)

Prepare your thoughts in advance of a discussion?

1 2345

Practice how you will articulate your thoughts?

1 2345

Write your goals?

1 2345

Evaluate your goals?

1 2345

Seek out a mentor or coach as a sounding board?

1 2345

Be aware of your body language?

1 2345

Do you…? (1: Not at all 5: Absolutely)

Have an email address that projects a professional image?

1 2345

Re-read email before you hit “send?”

1 2345

Have a Facebook page that you would show to your prospective

employer, cl ergy or parents?

1 2345

Have a voicemail greeting that conveys your best self?

1 2345

Take notes when making commitments, listening in meetings or

gathering details?

1 2345

Have a great handshake?

1 2345

Have a professional and memorable self-intro duction?

1 2345

Focus on your grooming and professio nal appearance?

1 2345

Personal Brand workbook

Distil

Highlight areas for improvement and focus on necessary changes.

• Select two items that are mo st in need of improvement and that you believe will have the most

impact on your life and opportunities. Write them in column one of the table below.

• Next to them, write a description of how each will be different when you have mastered them.

• Next to that, write three practice opportunities where you will use these throughout the next

month.

Improvement

item

Description of desired

outcome

3 P ractice

opportunities

Validate: 30 days result

Validate

Seek feedback from your feedback/accountability partners (friends or a trusted mentor) as

you make yo ur changes.

• Ask two people with whom you interact to be your feedback/accountability partners. Share

your two key goal areas and what you intend to do. Ask them to give you feedback throughout

the month and/or at the end of the month on what they ha v e observed.

• Write your 30 day results in the table above.

• How did it fe el? Did you achieve it?

• If you need to develop further, what h elp will you seek? From whom? By when?

• Repeat this activity on those items you deem important.

This process can help you achi eve your goals throughout your career.

Personal Brand workbook

Boost your interview

Successful interviewing is built on effective storytelling. You must clearly express your story

so that the interviewer can experience the essence of who you are and remember your

exceptional promise of value. When you tell your story, you reveal your strengths, values,

passions in a way that keeps your interviewer’s interest. Storytelling is one of the most

powerful way s to engag e others and help them remember what you have tol d them.

Document

Prepare for your interview

It is likely that in every interview you will be asked two kinds of questions: fact-based and

behaviour-based (see examples below). It’s important to be articulate and to convey to the

interviewer that you have been introspective and have adequately prepared for your

convers ation.

Consider how you will give winning answers to interview questions. Use the four following

questions to think through and document how you’ll illustrate your story. These are the types

of qu estions you will likely be asked.

Fact-based interv i ew quest i on s:

What do you know about [potential employer] and why have you chosen to interview with us?

What is a typical week for you? What do you do outside of school?

Behav i our-based interview questions:

Can you give me an example of something you have do ne that motivated or built enthusiasm in

others?

Describe a time when your results on a project or task were not up to your professor’s or supervisor’s

expectations. What happened? What action did you take?

Personal Brand workbook

Distil

Check each answer to see if it represents your strengths, values, passions and purpose.

Validate

Consider setting up a p ractice session with friends, family or mentors to give you the

opportunity to get used to answering these questions and other similar questions. Ask for

feedback on ho w well your stories give insight into who you are.

Tip 1: First impressions matter

Your interview starts when you walk in the door. Don’t let little things like attire or body

language sink your ship befor e you even open your mouth.

Tip 2: Storytelling works

Don’t regurgitate facts that are on your resume. Use the powerof personal stories to convey

the essence of who you are and what’s important to you. It’s easier to be enthusiastic when

you’re telling a story versus just restating facts.

Tip 3: End with an impact

Make sure you’re authentic and memorable.

Personal Brand workbook

Networking nitrogen

Strong brands have solid professional networks. Your ability to successfully network is

critical to achieving your goals. Regardless of talent, each o f us encounters situations where

we’re faced with challenges that require the help and collaboration of others.

By understanding how to present yourself in a positive light, finding common ground and

identifyi ng opport unities to follow-up, you’ll have the tools to cultivate mutually beneficial

relationships with people who are willing to help you accelerate your ability to reach your

goals.

A powerful introduction is an important tool in your arsenal when meeting people. It’s

critical to making a positive impression, gaining opportunities, and taking advantage of

networking opportunities when they appear.

Your introduction, or elevator pitch , tog ether with your body language and demeanour, form

the basis for a first impression. Make sure your first impression is memorable and authentic.

It will go a long way in building your brand.

Document

Key points to include in my elevator pit ch are:

Some conversation starters I might use are:

Topics for comfortable small talk for me are:

Personal Brand workbook

Distil

Use your replies from the previous page to formulate an elevator pitch that conveys th e

essence of who you are. An example is included below. Notice how it includes one’ s v a lues,

pass ions and purpose, creating a unique promise of value.

'My love of reading and my passion for working with young people has inspired me

to tutor underprivileged students a n d seek a degree in elementary education so I can

continue helping others improve their literacy an d open doors to a better life.'

What value is engaged?

What is driving you (your passions)?

Toward what target? (for whom)

What do you want to provide and why? (your purpose and impact)

Use the sp ace below to draft your elevator p itch.

Validate

A great elevator pitch is:

• Brief • Easy to understand • Compelling

• Relevant • Differentiated • Authentic

Look at your elevator pitch above and validate if it meets these criteria. Make adjustments as

necessary.

Personal Brand workbook

Networking do’s and don’ts

Networking do’s Networking don’ts

Before the event, focus on getting up to

speed on the individuals and their industry

or group. Find out who is going and come

up with some conversation starters.

Go to a networking event without any

preparation

Speak your name clearly (firs t and last). Mumble or just introduce yourself by first

name or nickname only.

Maintain good posture and eye c ontact and

smile when introducing yourself. Use a firm

handshake.

Make eye contact with just one person in a

group or continue looking all over the place

for the next group to jump to.

Make personal connections about hobbies,

interests, etc.

Use jargon, slang or venture into

inappropriate topics, gossip, or similar.

Approach peop l e who you don’t know and

engage (especially those who are by

them selves). Be th e one who init iates.

Be a wallflower and wait people to come to

you.

Be ready with your elevator pitch / value

proposition. Short, crisp, authentic and

convers ational answers to questions like,

“What do you do?” should roll off your

tongue easily and should be memorable.

Ramble or give a condensed version of your

resume.

Seek out good opportuniti es for

networking, both planned and

spontaneous.

Forget about networking since you’re busy.

Strengthen your professionalism by

polishing your online social identity.

Your

Personal

Brand

Ready,

set,

Show

Personal Brand workbook

Leap off the page

Career m arketing too ls that will make you sky rocket

It’s time to take what you’ve learned about yourself and put it all together in a branded bio .

Your branded bio is a valuable tool you can use to communicate your unique pro mise of value

to people who are making d ecisions about you—in both the real and virtual world. You’ve

probably sp ent some time on your resume—and that’s great. It’s an important career

marketing tool that w ill help you land an internship or your first job after school. Your

branded bio is just as important.

While your resume is a chronological list of credentials and accompl ishments, your branded

bio is another depiction of who you are. It enhances your online brand when you use it to

complete your social media profiles or accompany an article or blog you have written.

In crafting your branded bio, convey your unique promise of value in a way that gets others to

want to know you.

Charismatic cover letters

Your cover letter creates a first impression on p aper and is a way to connect with the reader

and earn you the right to have your resume reviewed.

Resumes that resonate

Your branded resume creates an accurate picture of your goals, purpose, strengths, skills,

experienc es and passions as they relat e to the role you seek—in factual, rational and

emotional terminology.

Branded bios

Your branded bio is the authentic representation o f who you are as a person and how others

perceive you when they interact with you. It highlights not only your pertinent strengths,

passions, goals and purpose but describes the benefits and experiences others can expect as a

result of kno wing and working with you.

Giving thanks

A thoughtful show of gratitude, especially in the form of a handwritten note, acknowledges

the opportunity you have been granted by another person who was willing to dedicate time

and attention to hearing about your aspirations. It is an opportuni ty to memorialize specifics

of your interaction and cement th e impression of your u nique promise of value.

Together, all four of these branded tools provide the basis of your brand on paper. They begin

to create an impression before you even walk in the door. For now, we’re going to focus on

your branded bio.

Personal Brand workbook

Your branded bio

Here’s a before and after example of a fictionalized student’s bio:

Anna Novak

Before

Anna Novak is majoring in marketing at Moscow State University. She has also taken several

art related courses and is interested in a career in marketing and advertising. She completed

an internship at Best Interactive Creative Agency where she worked on social media

campai gns for healt hcare clients. In secondary school, she was the class president and was

active in organising arts programs.

After: elements for Anna’s branded bio

In her branded bio, Anna incorporated what she learned about herself from the pers onal

brand activities.

Here were her responses:

• Skills/superpowers: Project management, creativity, relationships

• Values: Collaboration, adventure, curiosity, teamwork, making a difference

• Passions: Drawing, creative writing, snowboarding

• Social cause/role: Creative side of marketing, project leadership, contributing to the

Campus Advertising society

Branded bio

Majoring in marketing at Moscow State University, Anna Novak is a marketing enthusiast

and an accomplished artist and writer. In addition to taking every marketing course offered,

she completed six courses in the arts over the past three years. After her second year at the

university, she interned at Best Interactive Creative Agency where she applied her creativity

and project management expertise to build social media campai gns for healthcare clients. In

secondary school, Anna was th e class president. She used her collaboration and relationship-

building skills and desire to make a difference to join forces with other local secondary school

student councils to organise common local arts programs. A true adventurer and avid athlete,

Anna spends h er winter breaks perfecting her snowboarding technique.

Personal Brand workbook

Follow th e three steps below to turn your c urrent bio into a branded bio

Document

Find your most current bio. You can use your LinkedIn summary or other social networking

profile as the “before” version of your bio if you don’t have one. If you don’t have any of these,

write a paragraph about your accomplishments.

Distil

Incorporate what you learned about your brand

Take a look at what you have learned about your self in all the preceding activities. Then distil

it by identifying the strengths, motivated skills, p assions, purpose and values that are most

important to you. (Think ab out things that make you relevant, differentiated and

compelling.) Edit your curren t bio to include those branded elements. Use examp les to back

up what you say make you exceptional. Remember, you’re telling a story—one that will

captivate its readers.

Edit your branded bio in the space provided.

Personal Brand workbook

Validate

Take a look at your bio and make sure it is:

…. R elevant ….Easy to understand ….Compelling

…. Memorable ….Differentiated ….Authentic

Once you have refined your bio, test it out with friends, peers, professors, mentors, etc. to get

their opinions and make any further edits. Now, with your final version, you can:

• Post it to social networking sites to increase your online brand—this will help increase

volume and relevance of your online content

• Use it when applying for internships, volunteer roles and jobs

• Post it in a pl ace where y ou can read it regularly as a reminder o f who you are and

what makes you exceptional

Remember to update your bio each time you complete something new . For example, you can

incorporate your contributions to the social cause you identified as part of your w hY factor.

Personal Brand workbook

Your brand in bits and pieces

Building your social media toolkit

Chances are you are already using social media in a variety of ways. The lightning speed with

which the internet has changed the way we communicate has created vast advantages as well

as some considerable drawbacks when it comes to maintaining a positive and consistent

personal brand.

Social media tools lik e Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and YouTub e can help you express your

brand to a much larger audience. You want people to see the real you in the virtual world.

But, are they always seeing your best self? It depends. The virtual world, just like the physical

world, can judge you by the company you keep. Even worse, the virtual world never forgets.

It is important to remember that what you put on the internet is captured there for posterity.

Not only can your current network access th is material, so can your future contacts,

employers and network influen cers. At lightning speed yo u can positively or negatively

impact your brand. Let’s make sure you’re using those superpowers for good. In this activity,

we’ll help you analyse your online reputation and make a plan to align it with your real-world

brand.

Click the link below to use the Online ID C alculator. This tool will help you see how your

brand currently shows up.

Document

What does Google say about you?

Use the Online ID Calculator to understand how your brand shows up on the web. After

searching for yourself on the internet and answering a series of questions, you’ll receive your

results along with advice for enhancing your virtual visibility. After you have used the Online

ID Calculator, document your plans for enhancing your virtual brand.

Jump to the Online ID Calculator »

Personal Brand workbook

Distil

First, assign a priority to the work you want to do to improve in each of the measures of

online ID: 1 = very important; 2 = somewhat important; 3 = less important. In the table

below, give each of the five measures a priority:

Measure Priority Action

Volume

Relevance

Purity

Diversity

Validation

Select one or two of the highest priority items on your list and document the related action

plan to improve in this area. Make sure to refer to th e supplemental videos on each of these

virtual visibility areas.

Validate

The actions I will take to improve my virtual visibility and online presence are:

… Update my LinkedIn summary

… Update my Facebook page

… Update my branded bio on my blog, vlog or website

… Create/update my YouTube channel profile

… Create/update my Google profile

… Create a short version of my branded bio to inc lude in job applications, etc.

… Create a personal portal (e.g., about me, flavors.me, etc.) and include my bran ded

bio

… Update my 160-character Twitter profile

… Create a version of my branded bio for t he about me section of a cover letter

… Use it to create a branded video bio and post it to YouT ube and other video sharing

sites

Personal Brand workbook

Personal branding is not a one-time event

Just like you, your personal brand is ever evolving. The process you have used to document,

distil and validate your personal brand is one that you can repeat as many times as you would

like over a lifetime. It is a proven process to help you make great choices a t every juncture in

your life.

The questions you have answered in this process are of paramount importance, whether you

are attending college or making key career or life decisions. These are the questions that will

enable you to fulfil a life filled with engagement and enthusiasm derived from living in

alignment with values, passions, strengths and skills that fulfil your purpose.

As you gain experience and grow, your skills and interests will evolve and grow with you. In

time, you may want to revisit this process/workbook and perform the exercises again to

identify your strengths and ar eas for development, and to help drive your personal brand

plan. It might even be fun for you to revisit it when your 10-year college reunion rolls aro und.

We hope it has helped you to id entify who you are and what makes you stand out and gives

you clarity about where you would like to take your career and life. And we hope your

branded bio and other brand-building m aterials you dev eloped as part of this experience help

position you for career success.

We wish you all the best in your studies and your career.