In the age of social media, a review, comment or star rating is just a click away, making personal branding in hospitality more important than ever. 

Every successful hospitality company has a strong brand defined by visual identity, storytelling, tone of voice and other features that communicate its DNA to its market and makes them stand out from the rest. As an employee, you are expected to understand, be aligned and uphold the values of the company brand. But to scale up within the hospitality industry, professionals should also spend time cultivating their own personal brand. 

What is personal branding? 

The concept of personal brandingfirst started to gain traction in the late 1990s, when ideas such as ‘individualism’ and ‘unique selling proposition’ came to the fore. It is often attributed to the American expert on business management Tom Peters, who wrote an article for the magazine Fast Company titled ‘The Brand Called You.’  Within the article, Peters advocated that it was time for ordinary people to learn a lesson from the big brands in order to be able to prosper in a much more competitive world of work. 

In the coming decades, the explosion of social media, self-publishing, personal blogs and online recruitment platforms meant that employers could look beyond an applicant’s CV and delve into their background via quick and digestible ‘takeaways’. 

Suddenly, they were able to see a candidate’s likes, dislikes and interests, sports and hobbies, political affiliations, perform credit checks, and research their educational and employment history. 

In other words, a person’s identity moved from the physical to the digital realm. People suddenly found that they had to control this information, and curate it into an accurate, attractive package that represented their skills and added value. 

Why is cultivating a personal brand important for hospitality workers?

Hospitality is a people-centric industry and these days customers are most likely to show their appreciation of the people that provide them with memorable experiences in an online review. Just look a the feedback of your favourite bar, restaurant or hotel. While many will praise the quality of the food, the creativity of the cocktails or the beautiful décor, it's the level of service and personality and efficiency of the staff that clients appreciate the most. 

This is why positive online reviews for hospitality workers matter as much for individuals as they do for companies. When they get ready by potential employers, they say that you bring added value. 

By building your reputation online and consolidating a personal brand step by step, you are telling them that you have a unique set of USPs that complements the culture of their company, could possibly open it up to new markets, or even bring new customers and fans. 

How to create your own personal brand.

Building a clear vision of your personal brand takes effort and a fair amount of soul-searching. Think of the strong personal brands that exist in hospitality. We associate Jaimie Oliver's with youth, altruism and entrepreneurism. Gordan Ramsay on the other hand emits authority and decision, while Claus Sendlinger, the founder of the Design Hotels brand, exudes sophistication, innovation and worldliness. 

While it has taken decades for leading figures in hospitality to cultivate their personal brands, they all started from the same place – at the beginning. 

Things to remember when building your personal hospitality brand.

The first thing you need to do is to define your essence. This is not as easy as it sounds. 

The main questions you need to ask yourself when composing your personal brand are: 

• What do you want people to think of when they hear your name? 
• Is there any hospitality niche that your skills, experience and personality are particularly suited to? 
• What are the traits and characteristics that define your personal brand? 

Once you have laid the foundation of your personal brand by answering these, many people like to explore these concepts further by referring to a personal branding canvas.

When you have outlined a summary of your personal brand, you can start claiming your identity and cultivating the reputation – and positions – you crave. 

What personal branding in hospitality looks like.

A personal brand is less tangible than a company brand. Though you may decide to start a blog or even a website, you don’t need a logo or a tagline. Rather, your character will be expressed in more subliminal ways, using social media, online reputation and community engagement. 

Before you devise a personal brand roadmap, take a look at your existing digital footprint simply by Googling your name. If you find false or misleading information attempt to have it taken down by writing to the company or service and delete any posts or comments that could be taken the wrong way or are not aligned with the professional image you are trying to project. 

Make your resume fit your personal brand 

The first thing you should start with is your resume. The online graphic design platform Canva has dozens of free CV templates in numerous styles and personalities, from sophisticated and corporate to young and trendy. Choose one that suits your personality and the hospitality niche you are most interested in, and play around with fonts, colours and images. 

Once your new CV is ready, create an account and upload it to Hosco! 

Elevate your social media

There is no getting around the fact that a solid personal brand requires a strong personal media presence. That said, you should choose your platforms wisely. 

Instagram and TikTok both have an insatiable appetite for culinary-related content, so if that’s your niche fill your feed (or start a new one) with food-related posts, from the dinners your cook, your favourite restaurants and bars, your go-to shops for ingredients and even recipes. 

With so much conversation revolving around what we eat, don’t be afraid to be opinionated, but do be respectful of others' opinions. Liking, sharing and tagging are vital to organically growing your followers and your reputation as an expert (or budding influencer) in your field. 

Always remember that a personal brand is just that. The content you post needs to show your personality too. Sprinkle it with references to your everyday life, your favourite causes and your travels.

Network your personal brand 

Networking is essential to get your personal brand, noticed. And the most effective way to do this is online. 

Look for groups that focus on the culture of hospitality and join in the conversations. Make a list of companies you really want to work for, then start following them on Facebook, Instagram and Linkedin and commenting on their posts. And when you receive an invitation to connect or follow a page, send a personal note with your acceptance. 

Your online profile is the calling card of your personal brand. Start by looking at those of others in the industry whose personality has similarities with yours. What is the tone? Upbeat and lively, or serious and business-like?  Do they come across as personable and accessible or as experts in their field? 

Try to add something punchy and personable to the ‘About me’ section of your profile – an anecdote, your mission, or a humorous line that people will remember.  

Self-Publish, Be Happy

Got something to say about the hospitality industry? It has never been easier to self-publish and share an opinion piece or article. Platforms such as Medium and also LinkedIn let you publish your insights, share your knowledge, and get noticed by top hospitality recruiters. 

Keep in mind that nothing is set in stone. The most authentic personal brands develop and change organically, just as we do as adults. But it does need time to grow. Start curating your personal brand in hospitality today, sign up to Hosco, and soon you will be applying for the best jobs in hospitality with a competitive edge.