February 28, 2024
Recently a friend of mine shared her distaste for self-promotion. "I just can't stand marketing myself so extensively, but then I also kind of get it, it's part of showing your value in the industry."
As we talked further about this topic, I realised her struggle mirrored similar feelings I had myself in the past. When first starting to build a more visible profile for myself, I had a lot of doubts about how people will react to what I share. In the tech industry, where everyone seems to be fighting for visibility and recognition, creating a personal brand can seem like climbing a mountain.
However in today's landscape, personal branding is a necessity to get better job roles and get to work with people you aspire. It has immense value to build a brand that represents 'you' - your values, your skills, your goals and your professional journey.
You’re probably wondering: "Why should I bother with all this self-promotion?" It may seem like an added hassle, sure, but the returns do make it worth it.
Simply put, having a strong personal brand can lead to opportunities that inevitably increase your worth. Tech companies see you as more than your job title; they see the value you bring. It's not just about being a software engineer, you're an industry professional with a unique viewpoint.
When I started giving talks at tech conferences, I was just sharing what I was excited about. My passion for web animation. Little did I realise, this not only set me apart but resulted in an attractive job offer. I started working at Storyblok a year after speaking at ScriptConf, which included many people, who still work at Storyblok today. Once I established a more expert profile around web animations, invitations to speak and network started flowing in. I found myself contributing to widely-read tech blogs, tech magazines, and people interested in web animation reached out. Most of the things I have shared online since then, either led to conversations, event invitations or job offers.
Your technical expertise as a software developer is a given in todays landscape. Your communication skills, leadership abilities, how you handle conflict, your involvement in tech communities, and your passion for continuous education — all these are also vital ingredients of your personal brand.
Ask yourself: "What skills do I possess that enhance my work or the projects I've been involved with?" Note them down, they're going to be part of your brand story.
Building a personal brand requires time, thought, and consistent effort. It's about planning strategically, setting clear goals, and defining what's important to you.
Ask yourself: "What do I want to convey, and who do I want to influence?" Your goals should guide your self-promotion efforts.
Let's clarify your purpose. Why do you even want to brand yourself? Are you aiming for a promotion, wishing to transition to a new field, or striving to be recognized as a thought leader?
Ask yourself: "What are the top three objectives I want to achieve through my personal brand?" This will help focus your efforts.
Finally, articulate how you want to be perceived and then work on it - consistently. Embrace authenticity and set yourself apart.
Ask yourself: “If I were to describe myself in the professional world in three words, what would they be?” This will help you understand how you want to be perceived by others.
Remember, personal branding is about sharing your journey, your values, and your vision. If you stay authentic while showcasing your skills and experiences, the personal brand you build will not only reflect you, but also attract the opportunities that align with your goals and values.
Now that you have your skills, goals and general direction for your brand, let's take a look into what you can actually do to showcase your brand.
What area of technology speaks to you? Where can you add value? Ask yourself: "What is the one area in tech I enjoy the most and have expertise in or want to learn more about?" Once you find the areas you're interested in, it will be easier for you to connect to communities and create content in that area.
Start creating and sharing engaging content in your niche. This could be through blog posts, videos, or podcasts. You can also become part of a tech community. It’s your chance to connect, learn and grow with other like-minded people. Ask yourself: “Which tech communities align with my interests and career goals, what content do I enjoy reading?”
Investing time in LinkedIn is a big part of building a good professional profile. Write a good bio, add more details to your current and previous job roles and study experiences. This isn't just a list of your qualifications. It's showcasing your professional journey. Include lessons learned, and successes enjoyed if you want. Ask yourself: "What achievement am I most proud of? What lessons have shaped my career? What area do I want to grow in?" These insights will add depth to your bio and make it memorable. You can also get inspiration from profiles of other industry professional you admire.
An online portfolio is where you showcase projects that you've worked on, your skills, and where your professional story comes to life. Share examples of your work, your thoughts on trending tech topics, and a bit about your personal life. This will help people learn more about you and connect with you before you have talked to them. It can be a website or just a tool like substack, where you regularly share your industry thoughts.
Speaking engagements at conferences or webinars are a great way to showcase your knowledge and share it with the community. Recently I joined some webinars with a partner company around AI topics and the buzz around it on LinkedIn resulted in various messages going deeper into working and sharing about AI related tech.
Contributing to open-source projects not only sharpens your skills but also exposes you to different people and methodologies. Working on open-source projects can showcase your technical and collaborative skills in terms of software engineering. There are many open-source projects looking for active contributors or maintainers that can help you break deeper and connect to technical communities.
Here is a list of a few industry professional I found inspiring in how they do personal branding and share online:
Sarah Drasner - Senior Director of Engineering at Google
Scott Hanselman - VP at Microsoft
Kent C. Dodds - Software Engineer Educator
Wes Bos - Educator
Addy Osmani - Engineering Leader, Google Chrome
Luca Mezzalira - Principal Serverless Specialist Solutions Architect at AWS
Laurie Barth - Senior Software Engineer at Netflix
There are many more great engineers to share for this list and I will probably extend this list or make a separate post at a later point.
It's your turn now. Personal branding may feel strange, and even difficult, but it's vital in our industry. It’s not about an overnight transformation, but about consistency and authenticity.
Start by recognizing your skills, setting your goals, finding your niche, and taking action. Improve your LinkedIn profile, get involved in open-source projects, network at conferences, or start a blog. Remember, it's about sharing your journey, not selling a product.
Your perspective is unique and important, and there is a community of professionals who are ready to engage and learn from you. It's time to get out there, present your authentic self, and let the world see the valuable contributions you can make.