Everyone has a personality and in my experience, it is that one defining factor that will carry you through life.  Whether someone is introverted, extroverted, funny, nice, or rude this sort of personal brand will determine friends, jobs, success in jobs, and many other things.  I have been taught, and will soon see first-hand, that in the professional world, this brand and the way you execute it can make or break you.

Some people don’t realize their professional brand does not need to be identical to their personal brand; although I believe they should be a reflection of each other.  I remember the advice given the first week of classes in the PR program about Facebook.  What kind of pictures are you tagged in and what are you posting?  With Facebook being such a social site and the ability to control privacy settings, I think people are offered a false sense of security.

I was shocked to learn that with one phone call, Facebook would willingly hand over my profile to any inquiring employer.  And this may seem like an invasion of privacy to some, but I don’t blame any employer that does that.  They don’t want to hire someone who goes to a bar on weekends, gets blind drunk, and acts like a fool in front of a ton of people.

Once you start working somewhere, your personal brand is then connected to the company’s brand.  The fact that you represent that company is undeniable and unavoidable.  How many times are you asked where you work when you meet someone new?  That cute guy you just gave your business card to?  What’s the name on it above yours?  That stranger you were just kind of rude to?  Do they recognize you from the company office building?

I think the one most important thing about a person’s brand is that it needs to be consistent.  Don’t pretend to be a nice, funny person at the water cooler and then act like a jerk to the grocery checkout girl.  Don’t act like the most calm, patient person in a meeting and then drive home like a rude, unsafe idiot.  You never know if it’s the CEO’s daughter behind the cash register or your coworker’s wife in that car.

No one likes a two-faced person.  Decide who you are and stick to it.  That doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy a stiff drink at the bar, but be careful of who might be watching when you start dancing on it.  And never underestimate the power of a ‘how are you’, ‘please’, or ‘thank you’.  The person pouring the coffee that gives you energy for work in the morning may be the CEO’s favorite barista.  View yourself as a one-person company and see if you can compare to Kraft.