Working as a UX/UI designer for over 8 years, I was thinking about my tech skills only. All this time my primary focus was to learn new technology or tool.

“To master a new technology, you have to play with it.” — Jordan Peterson in Brainy Quote

I was learning and watching hours and hours of courses, both free and paid. This is a normal situation for me until I didn’t realize that I miss something.

And no, it’s not a design degree, which I already have. There was something else. Something that I couldn’t find…

Why do recruiters hire one specialist and refuse another? What is so unique, besides the tech skills you might have?

It was a question that I couldn’t answer, and I decided to research this topic. I compared junior, middle, and senior designers within all parameters.

I felt myself a detective, who is looking for his clues. And I found something unique. Something that not all designers have. I found a clue.

What Is a Personal Brand and Why You Need It

While most of us think about portfolio and CV, it’s not enough to stand out from other designers. Yes, you can have relevant projects in your portfolio, and many years of experience.

But what is unique about you? What do you have only, but not other designers? This is a simple question that I started to ask myself when I compared other designers.

I tried to find something unique in each of them.

And the answer was super simple. Some designers have a personal brand, while others don’t.

You can ask what is a personal brand. Isn’t it about marketing? Why should I have one?

A personal brand is often associated with marketing. If you’re not familiar with marketing, this is fine. Don’t think about a personal brand as a complex marketing solution.

You need to consider a personal brand as a unique experience and achievement that you have only.

Try to remember what achievements you have. Maybe you have volunteer experience, design awards, or hackathon wins.

Possibly you write articles, record videos, or participate as a speaker.

It doesn’t matter what type of achievement you have. All that you need to find — is your unique experience related to design.

Collect all the information and start work on your personal brand.

A personal brand is a tool that opens way more opportunities for UX/UI designers. It helps you to stand out from the crowd and reduce competition with other designers.

This is something that can help you to reduce competition, increase your paycheck, and open new opportunities for your career.

How To Build Your Own Personal Brand While Working 9–5

Once you know that you want to build your personal brand, it’s time to make your first steps.

And once you start to create your personal brand, another question will arise. How can you spend enough time if you work full-time?

UX/UI designers spend their time working at a company or improving their portfolios. It’s already a huge time-spending factor. Now you need to think about your brand as well.

To build your personal brand you don’t need to leave your job to get free time for your personal brand.

I know many designers who decided to leave their jobs for a short period or take a vacation to concentrate on brand building.

But the truth is that you don’t need to do so. You can handle both, your full-time work and brand creation.

Your work experience is a part of your personal brand. All you need to do is to work on a strategy of achievements during the year, quarter, and month according to your time capabilities.

When you draft your plan, think about concrete small steps that you can do along with your full-time job.

No, you don’t need to have a super strong brand right now, but you’re going to build it step-by-step.

For example, you want to have a personal brand as a UX designer, who is concentrated on teaching other designers.

Find relevant opportunities for this goal. Maybe you want to become a mentor on ADPList to help others and gain extra achievements.

Another possible direction is to start your YouTube channel. You can have a conversation with other designers or show work-in-progress tutorials.

Or maybe you’re interested in writing articles.

Then you need to think about your blog on your website or use writing platforms.

You see that there are dozens of opportunities, and you need to have a solid plan on how to go with your personal direction.

Don’t try to do everything at once, but concentrate on the things you can do. And also, don’t be upset that other designers have a brand already, and you’re just starting.

How To Transform Your Personal Brand Into a Business

While most UX/UI designers think that a personal brand is a way to increase job opportunities only, you can have even more.

If you have heard about Sarah Doody, and Pablo Stanley, you immediately associate these names with their products.

I am a big fan of these designers because they are not only able to build things, but clearly explain their knowledge to others.

Now it’s time to ask yourself a question. Why do some designers have such a strong personal brand? Why are they working on it so much?

The answer is very simple.

If you have a personal brand, you can start selling products and services to your audience.

You get followers depending on your activities in video, audio, or text formats. Within your personal brand, you can transform your followers into buyers.

And now let’s imagine a standard situation. You struggle with some design problem and looking for an answer. You can start looking for a solution on Google, YouTube, or design blogs.

In most cases, you find answers from the same public designers again and again.

For example, when I was looking for my CV and portfolio advice, Sarah Doody was the most frequent result on Google. This is why I joined her Facebook group and subscribed to her YouTube channel.

And she was a big reason why I started my own Facebook group, where I help junior designers.

This is why you need to build your personal brand so that other designers can find your content, and subscribe to your updates.

Once you have a solid audience and email list, it’s time to go beyond standard things.

You can create paid products and services. For example, you can write a book, and sell courses and digital products.

You can even monetize your YouTube channel and start getting extra income.

As you can see, there are unlimited options for how you can use your brand. It can be your career improvement, but also your personal design business.

Having your personal business allows you to live a better life. For example, you can travel, enjoy more free time, and don’t have a boss. You are your own boss in life and business.

Doesn’t it sound good? If this is something you consider, a personal brand is a way to implement your dreams and live in a new reality.

Final Thoughts

A personal brand is a powerful item for your design career. This is something unique about you that no one else has.

While most designers don’t even consider having a personal brand, you know how you can benefit from it.

Apart from increasing your professional opportunities, you can transform your brand into a business and create extra income.

Or maybe you can start your own business, forget about your 9–5 job and start an entrepreneurial journey.

It’s up to you. All you need to do is start to action today.