People say personal branding is now a buzzword. I disagree. If anything, I think it’s a good thing that more people are becoming intentional about how they show up professionally. It means we’re not leaving our careers to chance or in the hands of employers.
Building your digital presence matters to get your name in rooms you haven’t even applied to. I’ve personally gotten opportunities through LinkedIn that I didn’t pitch for. However, as much as you want your social appearance to speak for you, offline personal branding is also important, even though it is a side of personal branding that doesn’t get enough attention.
Offline branding relies on your presence and the experiences people have had while working, collaborating, or interacting with you in real life. It shapes not only what others say about you in your absence but also influences conversations in settings you may not even be aware of. It is the word-of-mouth advertisement for your career.
Just like businesses grow through referrals, professionals grow through reputation. Even when your LinkedIn is solid, people will still reach out to someone you’ve worked with to ask, “What was it like working with them?”
During the hiring process for a job, the founder saw on my CV that I’d worked at a company about three years prior. He happened to know one of the co-founders and reached out to ask what her experience was like working with me. She gave a good recommendation. I had no idea that conversation even happened until after I got my offer letter.
Now, was I active on LinkedIn before I applied? Yes. Did I have the skills and experience? Absolutely. But that offline brand built from how I worked and related with people also spoke for me.
Offline personal branding is the story you tell about who you are, what you do and what makes you valuable through how you show up in real life. Your brand is essentially your professional reputation, both online and offline. It reflects how you present yourself at work, your contributions to projects—big or small—how you communicate with teammates and clients, and whether others can rely on you to deliver high-quality results.
Your professionalism is reflected in how you present yourself at work, manage projects—regardless of their size—interact with colleagues at all levels, and provide or accept feedback. It also involves whether people can rely on you to deliver exceptional results and how you conduct yourself in professional environments, even if they are not directly related to your organisation.
It’s not just about what you post online; it’s really about how people experience working with you. The truth is, people are more likely to trust someone they have interacted with in person than someone who simply follows your content online. If you want your brand to reflect integrity, trustworthiness, or excellence, it can’t just be evident in your LinkedIn headline; it needs to show up in real life—in your emails, in meetings, and in your work ethic. A strong personal brand is built on authenticity. You don’t need to perform; you need to show up consistently and intentionally.
Every interaction adds up. Every project tells a story. Here’s a question worth thinking about: What do people who’ve worked with you say when they mention your name?
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Featured Image by Christina Morillo for Pexels
