The landscape and expectations that nurses desire is evolving beyond being labeled as "just a nurse" and nurses want more from their careers. Because of this, many nurses try, as much as possible, to uniquely set themselves apart from others by building a personal brand. Unlike in the past when brand building is restricted to celebrities and businessmen/businesswomen who try to promote their businesses, everyone now tries to establish a personal brand as it has been seen as an important phenomenon which can serve as a buffer and springboard when advancing in one’s career.
What is Brand Building You Might Ask?
Brand building can simply be described as creating a reputation, it involves showcasing the unique “you” and what you can offer to the world. It helps you promote yourself for career advancement and future employment. For instance, research has shown that 80% of employers Google their potential job candidates even before the interview is conducted. However, many nurses still do not know how to effectively build their own brand.
The Following Are Effective Ways You Can Build Your Personal Brand As A Nurse:
1. DISCOVER THE UNIQUENESS IN YOU
The first important thing in brand building is discovering the uniqueness in you (i.e. discovering the peculiar thing about you that you can sell to the world). Nobody can do this for you except you do it yourself. You also need to be certain about what you are really going into and how deep you want to go. This might take some time but you have to get it right before you take any other step.
2. DEVELOP YOURSELF
The second thing in brand building is to develop yourself and be an expert at what you do. You cannot afford to disappoint people if you really want to sustain your reputation. Therefore, in whatever area of healthcare or business you go into, you have to be best at it. In achieving this, you definitely have to study more, read necessary textbooks, attend conferences, update yourself on the latest ideas, listen to news related to your field, and so on.
3. MAKE USE OF THE INTERNET
Another important thing in brand building is making use of the internet. The internet is one of the most impactful & effective tools you can use to create a community and promote yourself professionally. You can start by creating a nursing blog where you will regularly post to display your professional knowledge and you can also give your readers the opportunity of asking questions based on whatever was discussed. By doing this, you will bring value to the market you serve and in due time, you will be well known.
4. PRESENT YOURSELF PROFESSIONALLY
When building your personal brand, you need to have a business card or social card (these have become increasingly popular in this digital and social media age) as you cannot afford to appear unprofessional. Your business/social card goes a long way in painting you serious especially when people you for the first time. In addition, you need to create an email account with your domain name, for example, alex@alexjame.com. This will definitely make you look serious and people will, in turn, take you seriously.
Living Purposefully,
Nicole Thomas, MSN RN CCM
IG: nicolethomasinc
Nicole is a educator, mentor, nurse, and purposeful living strategist to healthcare professionals. She has over 12 years of experience in leadership, healthcare management, clinical knowledge, and business acumen. Her mission is to help female healthcare professionals to awaken their God-given purpose as a healthcare professional through education and ACTION-ORIENTED empowerment. She is the Author of the book “In Health, On Purpose! Awakening Your True Calling In The Healthcare Profession”. She is also the co-founder of The Nurse Power Network.
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