It’s the Perfect Time to Rebrand Yourself

After an unsettled year, a bit of personal and professional reinvention may be just what we need

Finally: the world is reopening, and the economy is showing strong signs of recovery. For most people, this is a time to return to pre-pandemic “normal” life, for better or worse. 

But others are using this time as an opportunity for renewal and personal and professional change.

This period is uniquely suited for a makeover that goes beyond the superficial—and this may involve recreating your individual brand. 

The power of rebranding

Like a corporate brand, an individual brand is a promise. Everyone has a brand, not just entertainers or social media influencers. Yours reveals who you are and what you believe; for those who know you, it is a predictor of how you will act. The thought of upending all that can be a bit intimidating — but also energizing and hopeful.

Self-awareness is at the heart of every successful rebranding effort. And the first step toward personal reinvention is taking an inventory of the aspects of your life that are working and those that are a source of dissatisfaction. After this past year, your values may have shifted. Perhaps the time away from a busy social life gave you a sense of what really matters.

Look at all representations of yourself, across all platforms. If you are active on social media, how do you think people perceive you? Ask a trusted confidant for an honest assessment. Consider your professional experiences, using everything from recent job evaluations to client and colleague comments. Is there something you should be doing — or stop doing? 

And although a personal rebranding involves much more than appearance, it’s important to consider your physical self when thinking about how others perceive you. Do you present the way you should to attain the goals you’ve set? Are you dressing as well as acting the part?

This is an ideal time to do some deep thinking about how your present matches up to what you hoped to achieve. Perhaps your current “on-brand” behavior is holding you back, and it’s time to shake things up. 

Helping the evolutionary process

Deciding to rebrand means taking a positive step toward fixing something you don’t like about yourself or your circumstances. It’s a chance to hijack an unsatisfying professional journey and replace it with growth and fulfillment. And it could be a way to salvage something incredibly positive from this past year. 

Rebranding or reinvention sounds like an all-or-nothing approach to change, but it doesn’t have to be. You can plan a small-scale remake of one aspect of your brand. Nevertheless, sometimes, the best response to chaos is to embrace it by starting over with a complete reinvention.

Reinvention is a common human response to feeling stuck. So, embrace this weird time to get yourself free and emerge with a new attitude and sense of purpose. This could be a career-defining moment or, at the very least, a chance to try something new. 

Reshaping your image requires a commitment to casting aside old habits and ways of thinking. The most effective rebrands start with a change of mindset.  

Mental tools can help you define what you want from a rebrand. Try using creative visualization to picture where you want to be and what it will feel like when you get there. Many people find that mindfulness can create a peaceful mental space for making big decisions and facing difficult truths.

Introducing the new you

Once you've committed to a personal rebranding, you should be prepared to tell your story. Creating and controlling your narrative is central to reinvention.  

If you’ve maintained an active social media presence, use it to promote the new version of yourself. Tell people about your journey and how you came to your decision to change. Everyone has a pandemic story, and if yours explains your transformation in a professional manner, it may be worth telling. 

Most importantly, focus on the new promises you are making by reinventing your brand. 

Seize this moment to present a new you, someone capable of other, likely better, things. 

More than 25 years ago, business management guru Tom Peters wrote: “You are a brand … And there is no one right way to create the brand called You. Except this: Start today. Or else.” 

Today is also a great time to start rebranding.

Carrington Legal Search is celebrating 20 years in business: we were in the trenches with our clients during 9/11 and 2008. We partner with our clients to identify leaders and mission-critical talent to shore up and grow companies even during the most challenging times. We are here for you! To make our nationwide network work for you, get in touch at 512-627-7467 or email carrie@carringtonlegal.com.