Personal branding is cringe. You should do it anyway.
Why Introverts Who Build a Personal Brand Win Bigger
Don’t let that title scare you. Believe me, no one is more shocked than I am at my stance on being a public facing person—I didn’t even take a picture for my high school yearbook. But to deny the inevitable is an exercise in futility. The reality is this— the people who are getting ahead are visible. Not hyper-visible necessarily, but visible. They are carving out a lane for themselves so that they stand out from the competition and are top of mind when people who are in charge of doling out new opportunities need to throw out some names.
But here’s the thing—being perceived is top 2 worst feelings in the world, and it’s not number 2. There’s a reason why public speaking has consistently been ranked as one of the worst activities for humans, regardless of cultural differences. That ick is universal and there’s a paradoxical beauty in that. Knowing that only the most egomaniacal of us enjoys being gawked at on a consistent basis means there are people doing it who don’t like it either. So if data suggests that most of us don’t like being perceived, it should stand to reason that there are those of us who push past the discomfort and do it anyway (raises my own hand). And for what reason?
Let’s name a few upsides to being perceived in the name of progress, shall we?
People can’t champion you if they don’t know you
When you show up in high-visibility spaces, you make it easy for the right people to remember your name when opportunities come up — promotions, stretch projects, cool collabs. Out of sight really is out of mind.
You build credibility faster
Doing great work in private is solid, but sharing it publicly compounds your reputation. You go from “I think she’s good” to “oh yeah, she’s the one who led that thing” — way quicker than grinding quietly.
It creates a feedback loop that accelerates your growth
The more you put yourself out there, the more reactions, connections, and convos you get back. That feedback sharpens you in ways that staying in your lane just doesn’t.
Your network grows without you having to try so hard
High-visibility moments attract people to you. Instead of cold networking, you’re fielding inbound interest from people who already know what you’re about. Much less awkward.
It gives you leverage — inside and outside your company
A strong personal brand isn’t just about your current job. It’s job security, negotiating power, and optionality. People with visibility have more doors open, full stop.
And if those reasons are still not enough, let me paint another, blunter picture. We spend more time with our coworkers than we do almost anyone else in our lives (good, bad or indifferent to that reality, it is in fact the reality). People and your relationships with them make or break your career experience. Trust me, I learned this the very hard way when I would receive rave reviews for my proficiency but still be told I was somehow missing the mark. Maybe they didn’t say it because they couldn’t say it or they didn’t care enough to spell it out for me— I was just a worker bee. I did my work and I went home. In some faraway land where quality of work is the only thing that matters, that should be enough. But on this planet……it’s not.
And to be blunt yet again……we are in layoff mode right now. Wherever companies think they can save a nickel, they are slashing recklessly (and I do think ultimately they’ll regret that but more on that in some other post). If they have crunched these numbers and met with the undertakers at McKinsey and decided that your team of 10 can perform at the same level of output with only 7 people, someone might think twice about letting you go because they actually know you and can vouch for you. That other person on the team who turns in work on time but is otherwise an enigma? Probably first on the chopping block.
Building a personal brand isn’t inherently icky. Being perceived is what feels icky. You would feel just as nauseated if you had to participate in an improv class (which you probably should honestly, just to get used to the feeling). So, as much as I know you don’t want to, here are small actionable items that go a long way towards your personal brand recognition. You can do at least one of these. I believe in you!
(NOTE: This is intended for people who can leverage physical proximity, i.e. hybrid and in person employees. If you are fully remote, try your best to adapt this to your situation.)
Personal Brand Builder Start Kit for Reluctant People
Make small talk with someone in your org you don’t normally talk to
Seriously, it can be the smallest of the small talk. Bonus points if you can tie it into something relevant to that person. Personally? If someone is wearing something I think is cute, I will always say so. That’s not fake—I spent a good chunk of my corporate career in fashion; noticing what people have on is something I do by nature. Another example: I noticed someone with a Buccees cup in the elevator of my office the other day and flashed my keychain (which has a tiny Buccee beaver on it). No idea what they do…..but it’s about building familiarity. Maybe we’ll run into each other again. Maybe not. Either way, it made the elevator ride a little less dull.
Volunteer to present in meetings you’re already in
Next time there’s a recap, update, or project readout— offer to be the one who walks the room through it. You’re doing the work anyway, so you might as well be the face of it. Start small, even a 5-minute update counts.
Find a cross-functional project to plug into
Raise your hand for something that gets you working with a different team. It’s one of the fastest ways to get known outside your immediate circle without it feeling forced or self-promotional.
Make your wins visible to your manager (and their manager)
Don’t just do good work; narrate it. Send a quick recap email after a project wraps, drop a note in Teams, or bring it up in your 1:1. Frame it as “here’s what we accomplished and what I learned” — not bragging, just communicating.
But why do I have to do all these things just to go to work?
You don’t. For years, all I wanted was to just do my work and go home. I was content with that. Until I wasn’t. Eventually, there was a point where I wanted more— more exciting projects, more room for advancement and frankly, more money. I know that I can talk to strangers— before I ever worked in corporate, I worked in retail. If you can upsell a complete stranger who practically screamed at you that they are JUST LOOKING, you can do anything. You can certainly have a lighthearted conversation with someone in your org 4 minutes before the meeting starts. If I was willing to put myself out there for strangers for a commission check, why can’t I do it at work to advance my own career?
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