Bear with me folks: No industry insights today, just personal insights. So have a seat and buckle up.

Many years ago, when I was first getting into the public relations business, a boss of mine told me all about an article that she said she lived by and was really affected by. It was “The Brand Called You” by Tom Peters. Written in 1997, it highlights the fact that people change jobs so frequently that longevity at any one place of work is meaningless, and the only thing that will help further your career is your brand, which you are responsible for defining, maintaining and marketing. At least, that’s how I interpreted it, but I’ve been told I have an absolutely bizarre way of looking at the world! Anyway, it pleased me tremendously to come across Maureen Johnson’s Manifesto recently, via io9. She reminded me that the most important thing in life is you, not your brand.

When I read “The Brand Called You” I realized I was in a lot of trouble. As a born and bred introvert, I needed to show off my good work and skills more or I was never going to get anywhere. So I became extroverted as a result, and I think it served me well in my career…the problem was how uncomfortable it made me. I wasn’t being me, I was being a brand I manufactured to be more attractive to employers. And honest to goodness, I didn’t even realize what I’d done until Maureen opened my eyes to it.

I’m a busy brand! Bottom line this already

All right, so what does this have to do with you? Let me quote Maureen:

“I don’t want a brand, because a brand limits me. A brand says I will churn out the same thing over and over. Which I won’t, because I am weird.”

I have bolded, underlined, and, er, redded the key word in that sentence. Limits! Brands impose limits. What Pantone colors to use, what tone to take, who to talk to and how to say it. Branding makes perfect sense when you’re selling a commodity—it helps you stand out. You would think that, with the job market essentially being a commodity market, you’d need a brand too, right? I call bullshit. By boxing yourself up you’re ultimately forcing yourself, a square peg, into a round hole, and limiting your possibilities. The reality of the job market is that your personality, more than your skills, gets you the job and helps you keep it. If you’ve ever interviewed people for jobs, you know this, because you soon drop all altruistic notions about judging people evenly when you face the prospect of hiring either an absolute nutcase who is so qualified or a friendly, quiet, competent person who has a great attitude but might need some training.

Too long, didn’t read

I’m verbose. Sorry. Here’s the real bottom line: Don’t be shy about your achievements, and don’t be afraid to speak your mind. Just don’t be obnoxious and spend all your time promoting yourself.

Bonus

In closing, I want to excerpt another bit of Maureen’s manifesto—it’s fun, with great things to consider. Especially #5.

1. You should probably not be taking advice from me
2. Don’t write boring stuff
3. Have more fun online
4. The people online are real people and they matter
5. Please bring me a snack