Last week, we touched on why it’s so important to have a positive personal brand – it’s a great way to get noticed and get ahead in a competitive job market. But your personal brand is no longer just your CV. It’s about how you present yourself on social media and to your networks, and your relationships with past employers and recruiters. All these factors now make up the equation of a 3D personal brand.

To get started on developing your winning personal brand, first conduct a “brand review”. List the words you believe people use to describe you, such as “strategic” or “proactive”, or even “disorganised” and “lacking passion” – don’t avoid the negative. Put some thought into what is working for you and what is holding you back.

Ask for feedback from a manager or mentor, but be prepared to hear the truth. You cannot change a habit or behaviour if you are not prepared to acknowledge it.

Next it is important to harness the power of social media. Your personal brand is only a click away from being viewed by recruiters and potential employers, and social media offers a quick and easy way to build, maintain and control your personal brand.

You need to ensure, however, that you align your online profile and activities with the personal brand you want to project. For example, if you are building a personal brand that stands for leadership and creative problem-solving, you don’t want your online activities to be counter-productive.

Next week we will look at more steps you can take to perfect your personal brand so you can get ahead in 2013.

Marc Burrage, regional director, Hays in Hong Kong