Chapter 1 · Practice 1 of 4
Treat your brand as your reputation, not a logo or a follower count
Why it matters
For a developer, a personal brand is the short answer someone gives when asked "what is she like to work with?" or "what is he good at?". It is made of three things:
- What you are known for: a stack, a domain or a type of problem.
- Evidence: projects, contributions, writing and people who can vouch for you.
- How you behave: whether you are reliable, generous with help and honest about what you do not know.
Logos, colour schemes and follower counts are decoration. A developer with 300 followers who wrote the clearest explanation of a tricky library bug can have a stronger brand among the people who matter than someone with 30,000 followers who posts motivational quotes.
Do
- Define your brand as what people should remember about your work
- Ask a few people what they currently think you are good at
Avoid
- Measuring your brand only by follower counts or likes