How to Build Your Personal Brand When Youre an Introvert - The Muse

How to Build Your Personal Brand When Youre an Introvert - The MuseHow to Build Your Personal Brand When Youre an Introvert When it comes to excelling in your career, you likely know that building and growing your personal brand is a key piece of the puzzle.But, heres the thing The very thought of pasting on a smile and a name tag, shaking the hands of a bunch of strangers, and reciting your elevator pitch makes you nauseous.You consider yourself an introvert. Now, contrary to popular belief, that doesnt automatically qualify you as someone whos painfully shy or dislikes people altogether. Instead, as Myers Briggs explains, you get your energy from a mora internal source- like your own thoughts, ideas, and time for reflection. In contrast, extroverts feel most energized by activities and groups of people.But dont worry if the thought of mingling makes you super uncomfortable. Personal branding isnt all about schmoozing over cocktails at a networking event- in fact, thats only a very small slice of it.Here are a few ways that you can build your personal brand, without having to pretend youre an extrovert.1. Leverage Social MediaSocial media is an incredibly powerful tool for personal branding- for both introverts and extroverts. But, for those who prefer a little more alone time, leveraging social media can be particularly appealing.Start by ensuring your profiles are all up-to-date. That way, they can tout your skills and accomplishments for you, without you so much as saying a word.After that, try joining LinkedIn groups or Twitter chats to participate in discussions relevant to your industry and connect with fellow professionals. Post interesting articles or updates you find to your own profiles. You can even write and publish your own content on platforms like LinkedIn or Medium.All of these tactics are far less anxiety-inducing than needing to strut up to a stranger at a networking event. Plus, they all reinforce your qualifications, keep you visible, and e ven establish you as a thought leader in your field- all without having to leave your computer.2. Focus on RelationshipsAs an introvert, youd much rather have a one-on-one conversation. Youre focused on meaning and might dread the thought of working the room to have short, surface conversations with everyone there.So, dont pressure yourself into thinking that you need to be the center of attention, speak with a large audience, or speed date as many connections as possible in order to foster a solid reputation.If you continue to build one meaningful relationship at a time with the people who actually matter to you, by setting up informal meetings or coffee dates, youll actually end up with a stronger personal brand (and more beneficial network) than those people who fly around networking events engaging in endless conversations about the weather.3. Expand Your QualificationsExpanding your skills and expertise is a surefire way to solidify and improve your personal brand. However, man y fail to actually take the steps to do so.Fortunately, this is a perfect option for introverts in particular, as it typically provides the opportunity for more reflection on your own ideas and even some more quiet time to learn a new skill.Take that online course youve been meaning to get around to. Read that book thats been collecting dust on your shelf. Or, pursue that certification that youve been telling yourself that youll get one day. You know the one? Its been bookmarked in Chrome purgatory for the past three years.Once you complete your extracurricular, make sure to post your new certification on your LinkedIn, your resume (if relevant) and your personal website to cash in on the branding payoff.Investing in yourself is always recommended. Itll strengthen your resume and your qualifications, but typically wont require time spent in the spotlight.4. Create a Plan for NetworkingEven if you consider yourself an introvert, you know that in-person networking is still unavoidable . Whether its at a conference, an awards dinner, or any other sort of professional event, youre probably going to find yourself in a crowd of strangers every now and then.Listen, this can be intimidating for even the most outgoing among us. So, dont beat yourself up for feeling nervous or anxious- thats perfectly normal.However, if youre aiming to strengthen your personal brand, youre still going to want to use this time to your advantage by engaging in some conversations and making a few key connections.One of the tactics that can be particularly helpful for introverts is to have a plan- before ever even wandering into that sea of people. Are there any specific attendees youre hoping to chat with? Great. Think through ahead of time how youll approach them and what youd like to talk with them about. You can even arm yourself with a few conversation starters.Knowing that you have a plan in place will help to boost your confidence and make that event a little less overwhelming. Plus, if you can keep your focus on having those one-on-one conversations that you know are most beneficial to you, itll be that much easier to forget youre in a jam-packed room.Oh, and if you reach a point where your energy feels totally depleted, dont hesitate to step outside or head to the bathroom for a brief reprieve and a little time to recharge.Building a personal brand can feel daunting for anybody- but its especially tough for introverts. Focus on doing a few things that could really elevate your brand, rather than overwhelming yourself with all of the options that are out there.Get started by giving these tactics a try, and youre sure to strengthen your network and your reputation- with as little anxiety as possible.