Do you have particular skills or training that distinguish you in your field and enable you to command premium compensation? In his ebook Personal Branding for Technology Professionals (don’t be fooled by the title, it applies to all of us), Rajesh Setty reminds us that in most cases, over time, others will also pursue the same skills or training that allow you to command premium compensation, making those skills a commodity, thus driving down the price for those skills. While maintaining your skills and training is important, staying ahead of the skills/training/certification  commodity game is difficult. The solution is to develop a strong personal brand that communicates a clear message about your value in the marketplace. For what kind(s) of problems/situations are you known as the “go-to” person? Who, beyond the people you work with, knows you are the “go-to” person for these things ? Your answer to this question will indicate the strength of your brand.

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