In an era where everyone believes that branding is one of the crucial steps to lead a business to success, do you realize that each of us has a brand or an image that we intentionally or sometimes unconsciously create for others to remember us?

         Consider the time when you send out your resume to apply for a job. That is when you are trying to brand yourself by conveying your message through written words on paper. If you are selected for an interview, you will sell yourself through branding to persuade the interviewer to choose you for the job.

         Of course, every time you brand yourself, you strive to present the best and a positive image. However, the scary part is that often you may not realize that you are creating an undesirable image in your branding efforts. You only realize it when you face rejection or when the other party behaves contrary to your expectations. Here are 6 worst ways to brand yourself that you should avoid, or if you find yourself in any of these situations, you should quickly find a way to eliminate them.

         1. Appointing Yourself as a Guru, Expert, or Deity in Your Field: Using language that makes it seem like you are "putting others down" is a definite no-no. Instead of using such definitions to boast about your skills, try storytelling to let others feel that you are a guru, expert, or deity in your field on their own.

         2. Zombie Branding: Using a dull storytelling method as if you are a zombie without heart and soul, and communicating in technical language that is hard to understand.

         3. Building Your Brand Through Credentials: Some people choose to build credibility through certificates, such as having studied at Ivy League institutions or boasting about internships at leading IT companies like Apple or Google, hoping to impress others with their capabilities. However, outsiders may see this type of branding as uninteresting because, beyond certificates from various institutions that guarantee your abilities, what they want to see are the lessons or insights you gained from each significant opportunity in your life.

         4. Using Terms Like 'The Best,' 'Number One,' or 'The Only One' to Define Yourself: The more you use these terms to describe your abilities, the more you reveal your amateur status. Instead of proclaiming your greatness with words, it’s better to let your tangible results speak for themselves.

         5. 'This is My Job, and These Are All the Skills I Have': This is a sad way to talk about yourself. The important thing in today’s branding is not to sit in a time machine reminiscing about what you have done but to show that you are a professional ready to take on new challenges. Therefore, dwelling on past successes and old skills is no longer desirable. Instead of discussing what has happened, you should talk about your goals or what you want to drive forward to reflect that you have the skills that meet the job requirements, not just any job you might be able to do.

         6. Proclaiming Yourself as a Change Maker or Catalyst for Change: These terms may sound impressive and are skills that fit the modern world, but they should not be used to define yourself at all.

         In conclusion, you will find that the heart of branding yourself so that others do not feel repulsed is not about boasting but about changing some mindsets in how you tell your story without advertising what you have done. Just explain who you are and what you can do professionally, and that is enough.