Everyone Does and the Evidence Is Clear

In the contemporary professional landscape, personal branding has shifted from a niche concept associated with celebrities and entrepreneurs to a universal necessity. Advances in digital technology, changes in recruitment practices, and the rise of the knowledge economy have fundamentally altered how individuals are evaluated, trusted, and rewarded. Today, everyone students, employees, freelancers, leaders, and career changers need a personal brand to remain relevant, visible, and credible.

Personal branding is no longer about self-promotion for attention’s sake. Instead, it is about intentional identity management: clarifying one’s value, communicating it consistently, and ensuring alignment between perception and capability (Shepherd, 2005). Whether actively cultivated or not, every individual already has a personal brand shaped by online presence, workplace behavior, and social interactions (Gorbatov et al., 2018). The critical difference lies in whether that brand is strategic or accidental.