Personal branding has become a hot topic in the last couple of years, but its easy to look at it superficially, either as an aspect of celebrity or as a function of how active you are in social media. But I believe personal brand is both more profound and more subtle than that. I get asked all the time by students how they should approach it, mainly because they need to attract the attention of potential employers. I think there are some clear steps. Understand that brand is a collection of shared associations and concepts: Nike, Apple, The Guardian: each of these brands has a small set of powerful meanings or concepts shared by their audiences. Think Apple, for example, and you think beautiful, cuttingedge consumer technology – and a little apple logo. Your personal brand is the same. The aim is to develop a set of meanings for yourself which are positive and strong. So your brand is not something that you can decide on the morning of an interview: its not a mask that you can put on and take off. Its never too soon to start building those associations, and the best way start is to examine your core purpose. Have a sense of purpose: Powerful brands know what they are trying to do, and so do their customers. Think about your purpose: what you want to achieve and why. It doesnt have to restrict you in the long term, but it will give you a clear focus and narrative in the short term. And if you have a clear sense of your purpose, it will not only be reassuring to employers, but also enable you to answer questions such as What do you hope to be doing in five years?