Melissa Maughn is a Personal Brand and Messaging Strategist with over 25 years of corporate experience and 5 years of brand strategy expertise. She is the creator of The Identity Map, a five-layer personal brand framework, and the host of The Brand Bridge podcast. Melissa lives in Montreal but serves clients internationally. She spoke with Relevant Resume about how to develop your personal brand and what it means to have one.
I was always a weird kid, full of wonder and imagination. My heart's desire was to be an actress.
So you can understand my shock and horror when I had to do the "sensible" thing and get a real job. Or as we say in a Caribbean household, a "big job," meaning it paid well and looked good on paper.
I thought it would be a struggle. But there I was spending over 25 years in the corporate world working in banking, recruitment, and project management. And I actually enjoyed it.
I know what it is like to navigate office dynamics, work across teams, and try to figure out where you fit in a culture that was not always designed with you in mind. And after 5 years working specifically in brand strategy, I can tell you with confidence: the people who stand out aren’t the ones who are the most qualified, but the ones who know who they are.
If you’re job searching, considering a change, or just feeling like something is off in your current role, this is worth your attention. Most people think personal branding is about LinkedIn profiles and elevator pitches. What it’s actually about is clarity on who you are, which then shapes how you show up, how you communicate, and how others experience you.
Your identity should never be wrapped up in what you do. Because if what you do ever changes, and in today's market it most likely will, who are you then?
I have watched people navigate layoffs, career pivots, and re-entries into the workforce after time away, whether that was raising kids, caring for family, or just needing a reset. The ones who struggle most are not the ones without skills. They are the ones who lost the thread of who they are outside of their job title.
So let's talk about the three things that changed everything for me, and that I believe will change things for you too: clarity, confidence, and connection.
Clarity: Knowing Who You Are Before Anyone Else Tells You
Clarity is not about having a perfect answer to "tell me about yourself." It is about understanding your personality, your values, your story, and how all of that connects to the way you work and what you bring to a team.
Here is a simple example. If your natural energy is warm and enthusiastic, but your colleague genuinely needs quiet time before she can engage in the morning, clarity about who you are helps you adapt without losing yourself. You are not dimming your light. You are being intentional. And that intentionality is how you become known as someone with emotional intelligence and self-awareness. Those are not soft skills. They are leadership qualities.
We are taught from a young age to fit a mold. Especially as women, there can be pressure to be palatable, to not take up too much space, or, on the other side, to be so fiercely independent that asking for help feels like weakness. But we are built for community. We are meant to work alongside people whose gifts complement ours. Clarity about who you are is what makes that possible without losing yourself in the process.
Confidence: Showing Up Consistently as Yourself
Once you know who you are, confidence becomes less about performance and more about consistency.
Like I always say, a copy is never as good as the original. Remember that.
When you are clear on your identity, you stop scanning the room to see how others are doing it. You stop performing who you think the interviewer wants to see. You show up as the person who actually has something to offer.
Something I chose to do in my corporate years was to be present. Not just physically in the room, but actually there. Engaged. Because your presence is a choice, whether you are in a job interview, a team meeting, or a performance review. Your energy is information, and your attitude is data. The way you show up either confirms or contradicts the brand you are building.
Here is the question I love to ask: On a Monday morning, are people running toward you or away from you?
That is your personal brand at work.
Connection: How Your Brand Builds Bridges, Not Walls
When you know who you are and you show up with confidence, you naturally start building the kind of trust that makes people remember you. You are not threatened by someone else's strengths because you know what yours are. You stop competing for credit because you understand your contribution. You become the kind of peer who makes everyone around them better.
And then you become a leader, even if your job title says otherwise. Because leadership is not a title. It is the way you show up for the people around you.
Try This: Draft Your Personal Brand Statement
Before your next interview, application, or networking conversation, try this. It takes about 2 minutes.
"I am someone who [a strength you carry naturally]. I use that to [how it helps others]. So that [the result it creates]. Without [the negative it removes or prevents]."
For example: "I am someone who sees the potential in people. I use that to build bridges across teams, so that our collective impact is greater than any one of us alone."
It's not just a nice thing to say about yourself. That is your personal brand in action.
One Last Thing
If I could go back and tell myself one thing, it would be this: Your story, your personality, and what you value are your qualifications. Not just what is on your resume, but the experiences that shaped you and the way you have learned to show up for the people around you.
Your resume tells people what you have done. Your personal brand tells them who you are. And the right opportunity is waiting for someone who knows the difference.
