How To Build Your Personal Brand as a Chef
Building your personal brand as a Chef allows you to raise your profile to potential employers. It also gives you the opportunity to show your edge and thus create a following of people interested in your work.
This article aims to give you an understanding of:
- What Personal Branding is
- Why it is important
- How can build your personal brand
What is a Personal Brand?
We’re living in a hyperconnected world. Everyone is synced continuously up to podcasts, social media, and the internet. This means that you have the potential to show more people who you are, what you stand for, and why you’re crucial to the hospitality industry. After all, we’re talking about an industry that relies on reputation.
A personal brand is a unique profile that you create to go alongside your name.
In the past, the word “brand” was reserved for businesses, organisations, and high-profile celebrities. However, now that everyone has a digital presence, personal branding is more important than ever.
Whenever someone sees your face or hears your name, your personal brand will determine what kind of values, experiences, and expectations they associate with you. When you hear of Elon Musk, you think eccentric, innovative, and boundary-pushing entrepreneur.
Focussing on building your personal brand as a chef will:
- Showcase your creative point of difference as a Chef
- Support you to earn interviews and job opportunities
- Display your skills to give your claims more credibility
You may not be able to control everything that other people think about you, but a personal brand ensures that you have some control over the conversation. The content that you share online, the people you network with, and even the things you say on social media will affect how people see you in today’s hospitality landscape.
Why is Personal Branding so Critical?
Crucially, whether you like it or not, you’re always going to have a personal brand.
People are going to be generating judgements about you based on what you do and say. Especially in hospitality. Every time you “like” something on social media, share an article online or invest in new training for your career, you’re saying something about who you are.
If you’re not in control of your personal brand, then other people will decide who you are for you. That means that it’s up to you to determine if you want your reputation as a chef to take on a life of its own. Or whether you’d be better off managing your own narrative.
Your brand differentiates you from the competition, allowing you to build credibility with prospective employers, candidates, and peers. It’s the unique combination of skills and values that makes you who you are.
Now that 70% of employers use social media to screen candidates during the hiring process, your personal brand can make or break your chances of a good career. As a hospitality recruitment agency we will always look to see if people have a presence online. Those that stand out and are interesting, keep front of mind.
How to Build a Personal Brand
These days, a strong reputation can make or break your chances of success as a Chef.
Your brand can either put you on the radar for exciting career opportunities and growth, or it can ensure that your peers avoid you altogether. According to research from the Centre for Talent Innovation, cultivating a personal brand is the best way to attract the right people. Professionals with the right personal brand are also 23% more likely to be promoted.
So, how do you create a compelling brand?
Find a Platform
First of all, managing your reputation begins with sharing a message about who you are with as many people as possible. That means that you need a platform you can use to share your brand. For some people, it will be a website, for others, an online portfolio. One of the most common places to cultivate a personal brand is through social media.
As a Chef, a great place for this is Instagram and Pinterest because they are visual platforms. The platform will allow you to reach your potential audience easily. Youtube is also a great platform and video is one of the most powerful forms of media currently.
Twitter is ideal to network with your audience and get an understanding of the latest news and trends in your industry.
Identify your Goal
What do you want to accomplish? What do you want people to say about you when they hear your name or see your profile? Think about:
- The unique values and strengths you can bring as a Chef and to the hospitality industry.
- Your personality is just as important. What makes you, you. Are you funny, do you have some quirks? Ask your friends and peers why they like you and what they find interesting.
- What makes you different. Is there a particular cuisine you focus on for example? Do you want to showcase your recipe ideas or are you trying to make a change in the industry?
Without knowing your goal, how can send a consistent and clear message to your followers?
Tell Your Story
Once you have an idea of what you want to achieve, you can begin to look for ways to share that message with the world. Telling your story is the best way to do this. Look at why you became a Chef, where you started, where you are now and what you’ve achieved so far. Even if you’re starting your journey, your brand means you can share this journey with others.
Network
Part of developing a personal brand is telling people who you are and what you stand for. However, those statements become a lot more believable when other people are saying them too. That’s why you need to network and get your story out to as many people as possible.
Share Your Ideas Publicly
Keeping a low profile and letting your work speak for itself doesn’t work anymore.
The best way to ensure that your new identity can grow is to get online and start being a part of the digital conversation. Content creation is a great way to showcase what you can do, what you know, and what you’ve already accomplished in your space.
Here are some ideas:
- Showcase your latest creations on your social platforms
- Create a video talking through how you came up with the idea
- Start a blog talking about your opinions and ideas
Keep It Consistent
A personal brand is something that you’ll need to work on constantly throughout your career. As your goals evolve, your brand may evolve with them. However, the more consistent you can be with your identity, the more likely you are to gain the trust of the people you want to attract.
Think of it like search engine optimisation for your identity. The more you add new content and proof of value to the brand you’re trying to build, the more likely it is that people will start to recognise you as the person you want to be.
Finally, don’t underestimate the power of building a personal brand as a Chef. It will be the one thing that will set you apart from the rest.
If you want to begin the search for your next chef role and need some help, get in contact with KSB Hospitality and Catering Recruitment Agency today. Send us your CV, use our online contact form or call us on 0121 702 1428 to discuss your chef job opportunities.
