What is personal branding and how do I use it during a career change?

Personal branding during a career change means: Building a coherent narrative that explains why your path is logical -- not why you are changing industries, but what makes you the solution. Three elements according to LinkedIn recruiting research: (1) Positioning: 'I am X with Y years of experience in Z -- now I bring that into A industry.' (2) Visibility: LinkedIn activity, specialist articles, events. (3) Evidence: Projects, certificates, references from the target industry. WEF: Adaptability is the most sought-after leadership competency in 2025 -- actively demonstrate it through your career change. Xing study: Actively visible candidates (posting, commenting) are contacted 3x more often than passive ones. Mistake: Viewing personal branding as a marketing exercise rather than authentic positioning -- recruiters recognise the difference. Cedefop: European professionals who proactively communicate their career change find new positions faster than those who conceal it.