Personal branding and the CA
The CA is more than a qualification – it is a golden opportunity to boost your personal brand.
The CA is a complete qualification that equips those who achieve it with the skills to go on to work at the highest levels of accountancy, finance and business, at a charity, government body or cutting-edge tech firm.
Furthermore, for those with an entrepreneurial streak, becoming a CA provides the key skills to start and manage a successful business.
When it comes to the power of the CA, the numbers speak for themselves, with 80% of FTSE 100 company’s employing CAs and a multitude of ICAS Members working at senior levels in some of the worlds largest and most influential brands. But how can CAs work on their own personal brand and how can they make it work for them?
What is personal branding?
The organisations that many ICAS Members operate in have spent a great amount of time and money carving out their brand, making them stand apart from the competition by outwardly displaying their own values and personality, leaving a lasting impression on consumers.
These same practices can be used by a CA to help them stand out from the crowd and effectively communicate their skills, goals and values, paving the way for successful career progression.
Personal Brand Storyteller Carole Pyke, who is speaking at this year’s CA Summit, describes personal brand as a combination of an individual’s unique skillset and personality.
Carole believes that for someone to effectively craft their own brand story it must start with a strong foundation of self-belief.
She explained that “you can’t show up in a way other than how it is you think about yourself” and that building on a foundation of positive self-reflection is vital to building a strong brand story.
ICAS Members have gained a fantastic advantage to boost their personal brand by earning the right to include the CA letters after their name, proudly displaying their achievement and the varied skillset that comes with it.
Why should I work on my personal brand?
Building a strong personal brand is a way to take control of your own story and, to a certain extent, the way in which others perceive you. In basic terms, it is taking time to manage your reputation.
Working on this aspect of yourself in the context of your career can help you build connections with others in your field by displaying your expertise across your social media platforms, such as LinkedIn.
By taking a proactive approach to branding by taking some time to audit your social media presence, searching for virtual and in-person networking opportunities, and even starting your own website or blog, you will have already created the vital foundations for your personal brand to be built on.
Working on this can also help focus your career goals. Building a successful personal brand will take time, a precious resource to any professional. Identifying areas of your personal brand you want to invest your time in can provide clarity on a potential career pivot point.
How can I work on my personal brand?
Being aware of your digital footprint is vital to ensure you are telling the personal brand story that you want to tell.
Taking the time to cultivate your social media by gearing it towards the areas of your professional life that interest you can pay dividends when you are thinking about making the next move in your career.
In his interview for October’s CA magazine, Gordon White, MD of media marketing agency fatBuzz, emphasised the importance of LinkedIn as a tool to build high-value career connections.
He said: “People are starting to realise that LinkedIn is not just a networking platform – it’s the leading business publishing platform as well.”
For ICAS Members, displaying their CA designation and our new ICAS and CAW-branded LinkedIn and email banners can boost their personal brand and promote their professional credentials.
Look out for more articles and webinars this month on the ways CAs can boost their personal brand.
