HR BUILDERS BLOG POST

Colourful Personal Branding

Dear reader,

We are happy to present you this month ’s blog post on our latest workshop, a

very colourful one his time and perfectly fitting with this spring season!

30 Interim Managers were guided through the world of Colourful Personal

branding, by our very enthusiastic moderator Gerda Herbots. And we must say

that the HR Builders ’s blue worked absolutely great on her ☺.

Personal Branding: the little black dress/dark suit in your closet

Personal branding is the practice of people marketing themselves and their

careers as brands.

All our interim managers (approximately 800 in Belgium) have an in-depth

expertise and a lot of competencies. However, not all 800 are carrying out

assignments. Reality shows that people who make themselves stand out from

others , are always more successful.

Gerda Herbots has built an impressive experience in

HR, within expansive and renowned multinational

companies in the Belux.

Her strong belief in the life-long-learning-principle

has resulted in a certification as personal coach and

assessor.

As an image advisor, gerda is able to provide you

with a holistic approach on yourself.

It’s important to profile and distinguish ourselves in the best possible way,

convincing the client to choose you over the competition.

In a first encounter with someone, we immediately form an image and opinion.

Research shows that this is always based on first impressions which can instantly

be perceived: clothing, facial expression, body language or non-verbal

communication (55%), tone of voice(38%) … Only 7% of what is said actually

remains significant! An interesting exercise with pictures of headless women(!)

makes it very clear that a personal style reflects who you are, but is also always

linked to a situation or context.

It’s up to you to harmonize your appearance with your inner self and the story

you want to bring. To boost your career by means of a professional image which

tells who you, what you stand for and how you want to come across. What

makes you special and one of a kind? Try to define this in the best way and

make a powerful statement. (cfr Elevator Pitch)

The Power of Colour: an emotional message

Colours can help you to experience life more intensely and with more awareness.

They are a strong communication tool and can make you, as an Interim

Manager, stand out from your colleague.

Colour sends a powerful message and is key to representing your personal

brand. Your brand colour is the most important element of your visual brand

identity. People remember colour because it stirs up emotions. Therefore, you

must choose colours that best represent your personality and personal brand.

Colour & tell…

You are a brand, and you need colour recognition as well. Your colour choices for

your marketing materials may or may not reflect your personal favourites.

However, you need to know that colours have meanings and make bold

statements. When considering which colours best represent your personal brand

attributes, consider these associations:

• Blue: intelligence, wisdom, integrity, leadership, authority, truth, peace,

loyalty, reliability, confidence, hope, clarity, communication, imagination

• Green: growth, rebirth, nature, optimism, spring, change, fertility,

relaxation, youth, luck, healing, environment, prosperity, safety

• Yellow: sunshine, joy, warmth, happiness, caution, warning, vision,

intellect, creativity, light, self-motivation, independence

• Orange: energy, optimism, enthusiasm, determination, encouragement,

humour, informality, success, competition, force, productivity, strength,

vitality with endurance

• Red: power, attention, love, activity, potency, energy, desire, action,

passion, determination, courage, vitality, motivation, playfulness,

enthusiasm

• Purple: royalty, ambition, wealth, competition, mystery, spirituality,

mysticism, inspiration, magic, dignity, luxury, personal power, self-worth

• Brown: solid, grounded, earthly, orderly, plain, not luxurious

• Pink: love, warmth, friendship, children, affection, femininity, softness

• Black: protective, strong, luxurious

• : rich, wealth, fame, the sun Gold

• : mystery, intuition, the moon Silver

• : elegant, classic, well-established Gray

• White: purity, cleanliness, spirituality, openness, truth, refinement

Conclusion:

Distinguish yourself from others. If you are just part of the herd, you will not be

able to convince why you are the right person to fulfil a particular function or

assignment.

Colour yourself right and not necessarily between the lines! ☺☺☺☺

Isabelle Van Hecke, Associated Business partner at HR Builders

www.hrbuilders.eu

Be different, don’t be afraid to be noticed, but never

go over the top and always remain true to yourself.

Present yourself in a personal brochure, build a

strong website and social media accounts, emphasis

your authenticity and unique qualities to make

yourself stand out from your colleagues and

competition

Always keep in mind that everything you do is in

function of the image you want to express .