In 1997, the great business writer, Tom Peters introduced the world to “Brand You”, an idea about building your own personal brand, regardless of who employs you.
Building an identity that transcended your current job title.
Even back then, the job-for-life idea was already dead and buried, so this idea made perfect sense. Every person, their own personal brand.
But like everything else, eventually people learn the shortcuts. Eventually people learn Photoshop, people learn how to game the system. Eventually nobody goes to that restaurant anymore, because it’s too crowded.
It’s cool to have a great personal brand. Just don’t confuse it with reality.
