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As generative A.I. becomes increasingly intelligent, capable, and autonomous, human labourers may become increasingly concerned for their own livelihoods. Aliza Licht, a public relations and marketing expert with decades of experience, argues that a strong, well-maintained personal brand that demonstrates your value could be a crucial differentiator.
“Having a personal brand is no longer optional,” Licht told Fortune’s Peter Vanham this week on Fortune Connect, citing the proliferation of tools such as ChatGPT. It is necessary for keeping afloat.
How to Safeguard Your Job from AI by Nurturing Your Personal Brand
Licht would know—she has more than 25 years of experience in communications and marketing and was the once-anonymous, well-known voice behind “DKNY PR Girl” on social media during her 17-year tenure as director of public relations at Donna Karan New York. When she disclosed her identity, she encouraged fans to follow her on her personal account, which aided her in establishing a successful career after leaving DKNY in 2016. Since then, she has founded the multimedia brand and consulting firm “Leave Your Mark,” which consults for a variety of well-known brands, and written the career advice book Leave Your Mark: Land Your Dream Job. To excel in your career. Excel in social media.
She would not have been able to accomplish everything without her personal brand, which she believes is even more vital in today’s unstable economy. She says that allowing your brand to become “dusty” is dangerous, “especially with A.I. right now; it’s a very precarious time.”
In addition to the tens of thousands of layoffs this year alone and the ever-present risk of a recession, A.I. has made workers even more anxious about losing their livelihoods. In spite of CEOs’ assurances that A.I. will be a boon for reducing menial tasks rather than a reason to automate human employment, the outlook may be bleak as machines become more capable. According to a recent report by Challenger, Grey & Christmas, AI has already eliminated 4,000 positions in the technology sector. Joseph Fuller, a professor of management at Harvard Business School, told Fortune earlier this month that while most white-collar positions are unlikely to vanish, many will “diminish dramatically.”
A.I. does not care about tenure or track record; therefore, if you’ve been in a role for a while — even if not for two decades like Licht — evaluating your personal brand can be essential.
Licht stated that the majority of people no longer remain in one location long enough for their identity to merge with their employer. “However, when they do so, they become extremely accustomed to their position, proficient at it, and begin to coast,” she said. And the risk of coasting is allowing your personal brand to become stale.
Refreshing your Personal Brand 101
Not everyone will be pleased to hear Licht’s recommendation. Today, alongside the proliferation of social media, the concept of creating a personal brand has morphed from a 1990s fringe notion into a requirement for career advancement. Business tycoons like Richard Branson and Mark Cuban have cultivated personal brands that frequently precede their professional achievements.
However, more leaders and employees are now anti-personal brand. Sheryl Sandberg, former chief operating officer of Meta, once stated that brands are intended for products and not for individuals. Ilana Gershon, who analysed the digital economy in her book Down and Out in the New Economy, told BBC that establishing a personal brand necessitates being constantly online. Even Tom Peters, the writer on business management who coined the term in 1997 for Fast Company, recently told The New York Times that some individuals have taken their personal brand to extremes.
People erroneously believing personal branding to be cringeworthy or self-absorbed is an antiquated perception, according to Licht. “Having a personal brand isn’t about becoming famous,” she said. “It’s about aligning self-reflection with public perception and ensuring that you receive credit for what you’re excellent at.”
Everyone already has some iteration of a personal brand; their reputation can precede them if they’re not careful. Developing an effective one that reflects who you are is crucial. “A strong personal brand means that your name is mentioned in rooms where you are not present,” said Licht. As essential as it is to cultivate a personal brand is to ensure that it does not erode or diminish over time.
You cannot allow your personal brand to gather cobwebs
To burnish their brand, Licht advises employees to consider whether they are being as innovative as possible in their position. Given how innovative and ground-breaking some A.I. can be, she stated that human ingenuity and innovation are especially crucial “especially in the economy in which we currently operate.”
First and foremost, a successful personal brand must rely on a successful work product. Your reputation will suffer if you lack a solid track record. Licht stated that employees who have become accustomed to their positions must ask themselves a series of queries.
She added that you should question yourself, “When was the last time I acquired new knowledge? When was the last time I presented a company with a new idea? When was the last time I raised my hand and said, “I realised no one else is doing this, and I have some time right now, so I’d be happy to take it on?” Ultimately, she stated, a successful personal brand must be founded on a successful product. Any reputation, whether artificial or human, will falter in the absence of a solid track record.
