“ At the end of the day “personal branding” is bullshit because, while it does provide a certain amount of common sense for “getting ahead,” it unwisely and naively encourages individuals to pretend that the companies they rely on for employment need them more than they need the paychecks those companies can provide. For the vast majority of individuals, this is simply not the case. The bottom line is that you are not a brand. If you’re an average professional, you’re probably lucky to simply have a job that pays a decent salary and provides decent benefits. Don’t lose sight of that that.