Comments on: Build Personal Brand: Why the Controversy?

By: katherinemoody

katherinemoody — Sun, 30 May 2010 01:07:33 +0000

The emotion against people having a way to stand out from the crowd is confusing! If a job seeker can create a memorable (call it whatever) way to convey what they will do for a hiring company, they just might go to the head of the line. And people will be remember them in a way that let's me tell other people about them.

By: uberVU - social comments

uberVU - social comments — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 16:28:10 +0000

Social comments and analytics for this post…

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By: Trace Cohen

Trace Cohen — Wed, 19 Aug 2009 16:11:47 +0000

@David

It is definitely a valid question and it is fine by me that you “don’t agree” with it. I apologize if this article came off condescending because it obviously wasn’t Chris’ intention.

To go along with the example you brought up, while “selling” oneself may seem selfish it can be very beneficial in the end depending on what your goal is. I like to think of it more as preparation. How can you go into an interview and explain to someone who you are if you don’t even take the time to figure out yourself. Or if someone asks you what you do, and you give a candid yet professional response, it comes off a lot better than if you fumbled over the answer that you just made up.

So whether you don’t understand or don’t agree, I still feel that personal branding is very valuable in every shape and form.

By: David

David — Fri, 07 Aug 2009 06:13:14 +0000

This article is condescending to me. How easy is it to say someone “doesn’t understand” when really what you mean is, “doesn’t agree”?

Personally I think branding, as a concept, is a bad left-over from the psychology driven sales revolution of the 20th century, and trying to apply its principles to a human being (by that same human being, no less) is a recipe for personality disaster.

Just how self-conscious and weird are you willing to get in order to be liked and have a job? It’s a valid question.

By: Trace Cohen

Trace Cohen — Thu, 06 Aug 2009 12:38:43 +0000

@David
I agree that we should stop wasting time “defending” and just continue to add value to it. Also thank you for sharing your articles with us!

@Steve
It is unfortunate that there is some extra baggage with it and negative connotations but that’s life.

By: techygirl

techygirl — Thu, 06 Aug 2009 01:24:37 +0000

this intern life episode 4 from MicrosoftStudent.tv on Vimeo.

By: techygirl

techygirl — Thu, 06 Aug 2009 01:23:51 +0000

Whether its a corporation or an individual, branding is a necessary part of getting your product out there. It has to be recognizable….something that stands out, something with value. Unfortunately, sometimes the more human aspects of whatever/whomever it is being branded fall by the wayside in the process.

Microsoft is an example of a company that has a very well established brand, and is sometimes seen as cold and mechanical due to their vehement efforts to get themselves out there and thrive in the marketplace.

This video is their attempt to use the social media out there to shoe their human side… interesting, no? Check it out….

http://vimeo.com/5865047

By: Steven Savage

Steven Savage — Wed, 05 Aug 2009 22:18:04 +0000

I’d say another problem is terminology.

We call it personal branding, taking existing terms for what are essentially business activities and applying them to a similar goal of personal self-discovery and self-definition.

The problem is we also drag along the baggage of branding – of shallow branding, ridiculous ad campaigns, and soforth seen in the business world. Branding is a loaded term for the public at large. That baggage comes with it, and perhaps understandably so.

What I always tell people it’s about finding yourself and communicating yourself positively. The term “branding” is the best term we have, but branding-for-product doesn’t truly encompass what personal branding is.