Build your personal brand for career distinction

I often get books to review from guests of my "Biz Growth Live" programme so it especially exciting to get a new book to read from a colleagues and friend as happened to me last weekend.

William Arruda and Kirsten Dixson, colleagues and friends who I have known and worked with for a couple of years are now officially authors with their launch this week of their book "Career Distinction".

"Career Distinction" is now on my list of recommended reading if you are an individual in an organisation looking to progress your career.

Personal branding is definitely the hot topic of the moment with everyone from coaches to image consultants, from web designers to bloggers talking about how to build your personal brand. In fact we have covered the subject in one of our recent podcasts here at "Todays Women in Business".

As I guide leaders in professional services firms about building their corporate brand, their employer brand and their personal leadership brand to expand their professional and personal success, I would be selective on the books I recommend people read on the subject of personal branding.

So why would I recommend reading "Career Distinction" and what makes "Career Distinction" stand out from the crowd of other personal branding books?

• Firstly it is written by William Arruda who has demonstrated expertise in the field of personal branding over the last 6 years. Not only does he understand marketing having worked as a brand manager he also understands what it takes to manage your career successfully in a corporation.
  
  Through his company, Arruda has trained hundreds of people in corporate America and across the globe about how to build your personal brand.
• Secondly this book is aimed at people who are looking to progress their career - if you are a leader of your own business or entrepreneur you will find the book lacking in substance around marketing and business development strategies.
• Thirdly, rather than just providing information about the what and the why of personal branding, Arruda, makes it possible for you to work on nurturing your own personal brand as you can access the "Career Distinction" free workbook with exercises to work through.

Having spent almost 20 years in executive positions across the globe, what I was particularly struck by was one very important message in the book.

I have appointed many business leaders over my time in my corporate career, but few recognised the key message in "Career Distinction". Progressing in your career is not a start and stop approach - many people update their resume/CV and start networking when they are looking for a new job.

Instead, Arruda talks about considering your career management plan as something you work on continuously.

Co-author Kirsten Dixson brings to the table her experience of helping people build their personal brand online and I was delighted to see the subject of business blogging versus static web profiles to build your personal brand online being covered. However if you do want to build your personal brand online with a business blog or personal blog I would recommend that you also read books such as "Go Blog Wild" by Andy Wibbels which will provide specific guidance on blogging.

In summary, "Career Distinction" is a distinctive book about personal branding if you are looking to progress your career. I would recommend it for people in early career or middle management - there are some other elements I would want to see covered before recommending it to executives.

It would also make a great college graduation gift to help young graduates discover how to nurture their career right from the start.

Comments

[Dan Schawbel]

The person reading the book is just as important as the book itself.

[Krishna De]

Yes the person reading the book is important.

Any book is just a conduit of sharing and making accessible ideas, tips and strategies.

But what will make a significant difference Dan is if the person who reads the book then takes action on what they read.

Then they will truly be building their personal brand.