Your Personal Brand Already Exists

The Question Is: Are You Shaping It?

Welcome to Draft Mode, where we explore intentional career building, personal branding, and thriving in an AI-driven professional world.

Here's something I've been thinking about, especially since returning to work after maternity leave: You already have a personal brand.

This might feel overwhelming if you've never thought about "building" one, or liberating if you've been putting off getting started. Either way, it's true. The only question is whether you're intentionally shaping it, or letting others decide what it is based on whatever they can find about you online.

The Story Your Posts Are Already Telling

Think about your last few LinkedIn posts. Maybe it's one or two per year – a photo from a customer event, a conference update, celebrating a new role or promotion, or that beaming Sales Club trip photo with your colleagues.

Each post tells a story. Each one shapes how people see you professionally. That conference photo? It says you're engaged with industry trends. The promotion announcement? It signals growth and recognition. The customer event picture? It shows you're client-focused and collaborative.

You can't control how people perceive you. But you absolutely can control what you choose to put out there.

This realisation hit me particularly hard when I was preparing to return to work. I found myself scrolling through my own profile, seeing it through the eyes of colleagues, potential collaborators, or even hiring managers. What story was it telling? Was it the story I wanted to tell?

The Power of Intentional Choice

What I've discovered is how quickly you can influence perception by focusing on specific topics that matter to you. It's not about posting constantly or creating some perfect online persona. It's about being deliberate with the moments you do choose to share.

This is especially relevant in our current professional landscape. With remote work, hybrid teams, and less face-to-face interaction, your digital presence often serves as people's primary introduction to who you are professionally. That LinkedIn profile, those occasional posts, maybe a comment here and there – these small digital touch points carry more weight than ever.

The Maternity Leave Perspective

Returning to work after maternity leave has made this even clearer. Every interaction, every post, every comment is an opportunity to reinforce who you are as a professional and not who you were before, but who you are now, with all the growth, perspective, and skills that come with major life experiences.

There's something powerful about recognising that you don't need to rebuild or recreate your professional identity. You need to be intentional about showcasing the evolution that's already happened. The problem-solving skills honed through sleepless nights. The efficiency gained from managing competing priorities. The emotional intelligence developed through navigating major life changes.

These aren't just personal growth areas, they're professional superpowers. But if you're not intentional about weaving them into your professional narrative, who will know?

Finding Your Professional Purpose in the Noise

The balance isn't easy. It never is. Social media can feel performative. Professional networking can feel forced. The pressure to have something meaningful to say can be paralysing.

But I've learned that when you have a strong sense of purpose at work, when you know what drives you and what value you bring, that clarity makes every other decision easier. Your posts become authentic because they're rooted in genuine professional passion. Your interactions feel natural because they align with your actual interests and expertise.

This purpose doesn't have to be grandiose. It might be as simple as helping teams communicate more effectively, or solving complex problems with creative solutions, or building relationships that drive business results. The key is identifying what energises you professionally and then being consistent about showing up in that space.

The AI Factor: Why This Matters More Than Ever

As AI reshapes how we work, human connection and authentic professional relationships become even more valuable. Your personal brand isn't just about career advancement, it's about creating genuine connections in an increasingly digital world.

When AI can generate content, write emails, and even conduct initial screenings, what makes you stand out is your authentic voice, your unique perspective, and your ability to build real relationships. Your personal brand becomes the bridge between your professional capabilities and the people who need to know about them.

Small Steps, Big Impact

Your personal brand isn't about building a facade. It's about consistently showing up as the professional you want to be known as. It's about being intentional with your story, because whether you tell it or not, people are forming opinions anyway.

Start small:

• When you do post, ask yourself: "What story does this tell about my professional values?"

• Be more thoughtful about the comments you leave on others' content

• Consider what expertise you want to be known for, then share insights in that area

• Don't overthink it, authenticity trumps perfection every time

The Choice Is Yours

So what story are your posts telling? And more importantly, is it the story you want to tell?

Remember, you're not starting from scratch. You're not building something from nothing. You're taking ownership of something that already exists and making conscious choices about how it evolves.

The beautiful thing about personal branding is that it's never too late to be more intentional. Whether you're returning from parental leave, switching careers, or simply ready to be more strategic about your professional presence, the power is in recognising that you already have everything you need to start.

Your experiences, your perspective, your expertise, they're already there. The question is: what will you do with them?

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What's your approach to personal branding? How do you think about balancing authenticity with professional strategy? I'd love to continue this conversation in the comments or via email.

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