5 Personal Branding Mistakes to Avoid

5 Personal Branding Mistakes to Avoid5 Personal Branding Mistakes to AvoidPersonal branding in a job search is crucial since it is essentially a compacted version of you as a person and a professional. Unfortunately, many job seekers overlook this and fail to create a stellar brand. If you think your personal brand could use some attention, consider the below personal branding mistakes to avoid.Despite its importance, many job seekers make mistakes that can hurt their personal brand and therefore, their job search. To make your brand stand out, make sure you are creating something that people want. Describe who you are, explain what you want, and make a plan to get the information out for employers to see.Here Are Five Personal Branding Mistakes to AvoidOverselling YourselfMany people see certifications, awards, and degrees as trophies and as such want to proudly display them. While your achievements are a parte of who you are, they do not define you. Dont focus solely on your achiev ements and your job titles. Share your experiences and what you gained through the processes.Excessive Self-PraisingThis is very similar to overselling, but with more of a focus on how great you are and how employers simply cant operate without you. The cold hard truth is that people will lose interest quickly and this in turn will hurt your image. After all, they know how good you are or they wouldnt have wanted to meet you. Self-promote wisely.Using Abstract StatementsMaking abstract and general statements can help to piece a lot of information into a short amount of time and space. However, when you are selling your brand in an interview they want cold hard facts and data. If you have something tangible to show for your work, use it.Being Too Task FocusedAlthough tasks are a great method of showing what you have done, your personal brand is much more than a task. Use your personal brand not to focus on the tasks, but why you did those tasks. For example, if you created a program, include why you created the program and what you did to make it successful. The reasons behind the tasks are where the interesting stuff is.Rigid CommunicationsIt is always suggested to be professional throughout your communications, particularly when pushing your personal brand. This doesnt mean that you have to describe everything as if you were a finely tuned software program. Be a real person and use everyday words to convey your message. If you wouldnt say the sentence out loud to describe yourself, dont put it on paper.From the cover letter and resume to the elevator pitch and five-word job description, your personal brand is a statement of the person and professional you are and where you want to go. If you want to build brand loyalty, avoid the above mistakes and stick to creating an image that is both professional and personable.Readers, what other personal branding mistakes would you suggest avoiding? Share your tips with us below in the comment section