Personal Branding: From the Marketing Concept to the Professional Dimension
Keywords:
Personal branding, professional identity, self-marketing, reputation, authenticity, digital trustAbstract
This study explores personal branding as a modern concept gaining prominence in communication and career management. It clarifies the theoretical foundations and traces its evolution from a marketing tool to a comprehensive professional approach linking identity, competence, and communication. Using a descriptive-analytical method, the study reviews classical and contemporary literature, comparing related concepts such as professional identity and self-marketing. Findings reveal that personal branding now serves as a strategic tool to manage professional identity by helping individuals create a coherent identity based on values, uniqueness, and reputation. The digital transformation emphasizes digital trust and authenticity as critical to personal branding’s value in virtual spaces. Success depends on the alignment between one’s internal identity and others’ perceptions. The study concludes that personal branding is no longer optional but essential for professional growth. Investing in its development builds symbolic capital, enabling individuals to achieve success and distinction in a competitive, dynamic work environment. This underscores personal branding’s role as a vital career management strategy.
References
Cybellium. (2024). Understanding Personal Branding: A Comprehensive Guide to Learn Personal Branding. Cybellium Digital Publishing.
Gorbatov, S., & Svetlana N, K. (2018). Personal branding: Interdisciplinary systematic review and research agenda (Vol. 9). Frontiers in Psychology. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2018.02238
Khedher, M. (2014). Personal branding phenomenon. International Journal of Information, Business and Management, 6(2), 29–40.
Kucharska, W. (2020). Personal branding and brand trust: Antecedents of personal brand equity. Journal of Product & Brand Management, 29(6), 815–827. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1108/JPBM-02-2019-2295
Labrecque, L. I., Elyria , M., & George R, M. (2011). Online personal branding: Processes, challenges, and implications. Journal of Interactive Marketing, 25(1), 37–50.
McNally, D., & Karl D, S. (2002). Be Your Own Brand: Achieving Success Through Personal Power. Berrett-Koehler Publishers.
Montoya, P. (2002). The Personal Branding Phenomenon. Personal Branding Press.
Parmentier, M.-A., Eileen , F., & Aron R, R. (2013). Positioning personal brands in established organizational fields. Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science, 41(3), 373–387.
Peters, T. (1997). The Brand Called You (Vol. 10). Fast Company.
Rampersad, H. K. (2009). Authentic Personal Branding: A New Blueprint for Building and Aligning a Powerful Leadership Brand. Information Age Publishing.
Schawbel, D. (2015). Promote Yourself: The New Rules for Career Success. St. Martin’s Griffin.
Shepherd, I. D. (2005). From cattle and coke to Charlie: Meeting the challenge of self-marketing and personal branding. Journal of Marketing Management, 21(5–6), 589–606.
