Personal Branding: Finding Value in Uniqueness
The saying is common in legal practice — people do not hire a firm, they hire a lawyer.
How can law students and those newly entering the practice of law, leverage this convention? By creating and constructing a personal brand unique to one’s skills and interests.
Now is your opportunity to better leverage the time already spent on social media channels, through creating thoughtful, brand-centred content.
Nail down your Personal Value Proposition (PVP).
Imagine you are selling someone on a beautiful, exotic vacation spot. You would likely mention the beautiful weather, delicious food, high degree of personal safety and affordability.
These points culminate in a value proposition:
“Laos has beautiful 20-degree nights and an abundance of fresh-baked baguettes. I felt very safe as a young woman traveling alone there, and I was able to do so without breaking the bank!”
It should answer why someone would feel incredibly lucky to travel there.
For a law student, the same principles apply. You might want to highlight your volunteer experience with lower-income families, your proficiency in Spanish, and your avid consumption of anything and everything related to International Trade Law.
“I am a 2L at TRU Law who deeply believes in the importance of accessible education. When not engrossed in my readings, I enjoy practicing Spanish with my Abuelo and reading up on how climate change actions must work hand in hand with international trade law in order to be meaningful.”
It is important to note here that any traditional notions of ‘value’ must be tossed. As people and as law students, we are inherently filled with value. This value may not be monetarily connected (yet!) or may not be easily demonstrated with certifications or formal recognition.
However, what makes you unique, is what in turn makes you valuable.
Here are some guiding questions to help you find uniqueness in your PVP. Try your best to answer these questions as your truest self and not as “the perfect law student”. Finding a unique edge to your PVP will always be more effective than a cookie-cutter version.
- What is an experience I have had in my life that has impacted the way I look at the world?
- If I was asked to give a 10-minute presentation about my favourite legal topic, what would it be?
- If law school was like fishing, what skills or tools are necessary for me to have in my tackle box? Are there any new skills I would like to explore?
Once you have established an effective, unique and intriguing PVP — it’s time to share it with the world.
Be mindful of the content you create and where it is shared.
Now that you’ve established a unique and intriguing PVP, the real work begins.
As law students, we must work to leverage the time we are already spending on social media platforms. We must use it to further the creation of our personal brand and attract more professional opportunities in areas of interest.
Recently, I have learned the power of connecting with those outside of your close professional circles and how beneficial those connections can be when leveraged effectively.
I understand that sending invitations to connect to senior partners or academic legal scholars is intimidating. Most commonly, we feel that we have no value to bring to the connection. This is where your PVP comes in handy.
Remember, what makes you unique is what makes you valuable.
If you know me personally, you know how much I love Linkedin. I deeply believe in the power of the platform and the professional community it brings into reach.
My advice is to use Linkedin to demonstrate interest in the areas highlighted by your PVP. Use the platform to spark conversation between connections, both locally and internationally.
Someone who I believe is executing this phenomenally, is Conrad Flaczyk. Conrad is a lawyer with the Knowledge and Innovation team at Norton Rose Fulbright (Canada) LLP and has nearly 21,000 followers on Linkedin.
He was recently a guest on the “Fit to Practice” Podcast, hosted by Angela Han.
When asked about his activity on Linkedin and its personal and professional importance, he noted:
“When someone starts seeing your content for the 4th, 5th or 6th time, you’re almost developing a digital persona. The power of Linkedin really comes out. It’s once people start knowing you on this digital platform, you have a personality that you can create and that’s when it can lead to indirect opportunities like jobs, podcasts, volunteering and events”.
Conrad ardently believes that despite being difficult initially, professional content creation has incredible pay off. I couldn't agree more.
Larissa Donovan, a fellow colleague of mine at TRU Law, has excelled at utilizing Twitter to leverage her PVP.
Larissa often uses the #lawtwitter hashtag to connect and engage with members of the legal profession. In doing so, Larissa is able create an online presence that is active and involved in those conversations. Through her dexterous demonstration of her PVP and by commenting on a variety of law topics that are of interest to her, Larissa is creating her personal brand.
She has had much success with this method of connection. Larissa has noted to me, that through engaging with the content on #lawtwitter, she has had the opportunity for incredible mentorship and professional connections with many activist lawyers in Ontario. For Larissa, her online presence has made a tangible impact on her professional pursuits.
As law students and lawyers, we are expected to bring competence and proficiency to the table. What is not always expected, but is always appreciated, are the qualities through which we express, utilize and engage that knowledge. This is what sets us apart from our peers, what makes us unique and in turn, valuable.
