On personal branding

I recently attended a talk by one of our leaders on personal branding, and it was a great refresher and reminder for me to relook at my personal brand. 

In today's world, in sectors like IT and many other private sectors where people are the main assets, I guess it's very critical to create personal brand to remain relevant. Like companies carry out exercises to come up their tag line, vision, goals, and define their roadmap towards achieving the targets and living the brand they want to become, I think it's important for us as individuals also to think about it. We may not have time and money to spend on branding exercise, but we can turn our everyday actions into brand building exercise! 

Sounds a bit abstract right? Here is the sense I have made for myself in my professional life that I wanted to bounce off with all of you: 

• What does google search return when someone searches for me?
• Keeping linked in profile updated even of I may not intend to switch job
• Connect with people on linked in as soon as I meet with them and find value in their talk or conversation
• Build networks inside the organization with colleagues who share common interest, skills or passion

• Share my knowledge on platforms like slideshare, my conference presentation may be attended by a few, but my deck on slideshare is viewed by many many more
• Blogging
• Open source contribution
• Publish papers on recognized sites such as tcs.com

• Ensure that the way to carry self, what I talk or promote is in line with the principles I stand for
• Engage in things I believe in and make time for those
• Discipline in terms of way of working
• Maintain professionalism
• Be open to learn new things and to listen to junior colleagues for suggestions
• ... 

There could be many other things we must be following to build a brand that we stand for, it would be great to hear from all of you!