Creative Personal Branding by Jürgen Salenbacher

This post is for you that at the moment are looking for a job. For those who finished school recently and are willing to kick things off with their own personal brand, or to get started working with their favourite brand and also for anyone willing to reinvent themselves.
As a fashion illustrator teacher, I have seen a lot of my students feeling a bit “lost” in regards of knowing what their dream job would consist of. Not only that, but they’re also confused about their own capabilities. And I would say that it is very difficult to arrive at your dream destination if you don’t have a clue of who you are and what you are capable of, wouldn’t you agree?
That’s why I thought it would be interesting to forward some questions on this subject to Jürgen Salenbacher, academic dean of IED and author of the book Creative Personal Branding. He wrote this book because after years of teaching Communication Strategy and International Marketing Strategy he realized there was a confusion in the students attitudes regarding the way they faced their careers.
The book starts with pointing out the facts: Our reality it’s different than that of our parents or grandparents. We live in an environment that is constantly changing and which is in need of new kind of professionals. “The key to understand reality” says Salenbacher “is to change the way we face it. We need to use a methodology that helps us understand the new economic situation and help us adapt. Reflect about reality and reframe it by becoming an expert in one area.”
Today it looks like there is little time to “reflect”. “Look, there are no quick fixes” he explains “It takes time to learn a language for example. There are moments of frustration and mistakes. But it’s this failure that gives you the key to success. You have to understand that to be an expert, you need time. Only persistent motivation and life-long learning will give you the substance to be relevant in you area.”
Salenbacher mixes in his book coaching techniques with creativity and positive thinking. But are we really all creative? Can we make cultivate creativity? “Diversity is the mother of creativity. We all are creative, but if we stay in the same environment, with the same people, doing the same all the time…you will probably end up doing the same results and copying. Be open to other cultures, travel and learn different points of views.” In his book he quotes Ferrán Adrià: ‘Creativity is not copying’. This maxim is the key, and so is to understand the importance of the combination of knowledge, imagination, business, intelligence and pleasure with creativity to create new solutions and opportunities.

“CREATIVITY’S KEY DRIVER IS SELF-CONFIDENCE” adds Jürgen. Confidence in what you do and what you want to achieve.

So creativity can help us to develop a personal brand…but what is personal branding really? “Personal branding is not about treating the individual as a product, but to be aware and respect yourself. Doing this ables you to focus and understand the market, to create a product that represents you and that fills a niche.”
In this world when speed is part of our daily diet, jobs disappear and new skills are constantly required, who are the perfect fashion professionals of 2013? “Perfection doesn’t exist. But if you ask me, it is about people that have the personal motivation that drives them to learn everyday, to collaborate with others and to do what they are good at, nurturing their assets. People with substance, style, conviction and of course…grace.”