Imagine Yourself as an Object or Image – What Would You Be?

  • 1 min read

An interesting way to understand who you are or just to describe yourself to others is to attach your personal brand to an object or image. Choose wisely, as your selection should embody exactly who you are, in terms of personality, values and qualities.

If I could be anything, it would be a bridge. A bridge connects two places together, which are typically separated by water. A bridge is strong and sturdy. A bridge supports cars, trucks and other vehicles, and allows boats to freely pass.

3 key words

  • Connection – One of the major personal branding themes is networking. By bridging two parties together, an opportunity is created. In order to do this, you need something to speak to (blog, website, profile, resume, etc). A connection can also be an association that someone makes when they hear your name, see your picture or a video you’ve generated. A connection can be as simple as a handshake and as complex as a social graph (think Facebook).
  • Support – A personal brand is only as strong as the network that supports it. By building friendships and professional contacts, you are in fact creating a support matrix that your brand stands ontop of. If that matrix were to collapse like a bridge, you would be taken down with it.
  • Strong – A strong personal brand never backs down, despite the obstacles and resistance. Be confident with who you are and have some pride. A bridge cannot support vehicles without strength (concrete, etc) and if you give up hope, you will fall much further than if you stand tall and never give up. Every successful brand makes mistakes and has failed at some point, in order to learn how to succeed. Only the strong will survive.

Why I chose a bridge

My dream is to become the bridge that applicants cross to land the jobs they deserve. Therefore, the bridge symbolizes my personal brand and the connection that the bridge makes allows for high potential individuals to be employed at the job of best-fit. By connecting people in this manner, I would be mutually helping them, and by being the “connector” I would be positioning my brand as well.

Your Turn

What object or image would you choose for your personal brand?

Picture of Dan Schawbel

Dan Schawbel

Dan Schawbel is the Managing Partner of Millennial Branding, a Gen Y research and consulting firm. He is the New York Times and Wall Street Journal bestselling author of Promote Yourself: The New Rules For Career Success (St. Martin’s Press) and the #1 international bestselling book, Me 2.0: 4 Steps to Building Your Future (Kaplan Publishing), which combined have been translated into 15 languages.

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