{"id":13678,"date":"2025-08-25T14:39:38","date_gmt":"2025-08-25T14:39:38","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/2026.karrierecoaching.ch\/?p=13678"},"modified":"2026-04-21T06:39:11","modified_gmt":"2026-04-21T06:39:11","slug":"the-big-bang-theory-in-personal-branding","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/2026.karrierecoaching.ch\/en\/the-big-bang-theory-in-personal-branding\/","title":{"rendered":"The \u00abBig Bang Theory\u00bb in Personal Branding"},"content":{"rendered":"

In an early episode of the TV series The Big Bang Theory, the awkward Leonard tries to get closer to his attractive neighbour Penny. She asks him: \u00abSo, what are you like?\u00bb Leonard replies: \u00abHow would you like me to be?\u00bb Cue loud canned laughter.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

Peter N\u00e4f<\/em><\/a><\/strong>
\nZurich, August 2025<\/em><\/p>\n

What makes us laugh about these highly intelligent but socially clumsy nerds is, in fact, everyday reality on the job market when it comes to self-marketing<\/a>. This is reflected in the frequently asked question from job seekers: \u00abWhat do the interviewers want to hear?\u00bb<\/p>\n

In job interview training<\/a> it often becomes clear how difficult candidates find it to present themselves as the personalities they truly are. Instead, they try to live up to some imagined ideal.<\/p>\n

The best you have to offer<\/h5>\n

Predominantly self-critical people start to doubt themselves in job application<\/a> situations. They feel they must be someone else. Under stress we often experience ourselves as deficient, because our weaknesses<\/a> become more visible.<\/p>\n

Naturally self-confident people have the advantage here. Accordingly, they are systematically favoured in applications and promotions. Professional recruitment<\/a> should compensate for this imbalance. Unfortunately, it is often precisely the least experienced HR staff who are put in charge of recruitment.<\/p>\n

A tip for the self-critical: if you believe your personality is not good enough for a position or a work environment, this belief rests on a hypothesis of what the \u00abideal\u00bb candidate should be like. One thing is certain: this hypothesis is wrong \u2013 the only question is, by how much. As I explained in the article \u00abWhat you can learn from a negotiation pro for your job application\u00bb<\/a>, we never really know what the other side is looking for \u2013 despite all the attempts at description in job ads.<\/p>\n

Since you have no idea what you would have to be like in order to be \u00abideal\u00bb, you may as well go into the application process as yourself \u2013 you are, after all, the best you have to offer.<\/p>\n

Do you know what others value in you?<\/h5>\n

We underestimate how open recruiters<\/a> and hiring managers<\/a> can be to different personalities. Think of your circle of friends, which is far more exclusive than any workplace. Is it a group of clones? Or rather, very different personalities, each of whom you value for something quite special?<\/p>\n

And by the way: Leonard did eventually manage to win Penny over. We may assume that, as the wisest member of the clique, she harboured no illusions about him. And perhaps it was precisely the quirks he tried to hide that she came to like.<\/p>\n

#personalbranding<\/a> #selfmarketing<\/a> #selfconfidence<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

In an early episode of the TV series The Big Bang Theory, the awkward Leonard tries to get closer to his attractive neighbour Penny. She asks him: \u00abSo, what are you like?\u00bb Leonard replies: \u00abHow would you like me to be?\u00bb Cue loud canned laughter. Peter N\u00e4f Zurich, August 2025 What makes us laugh about […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[30],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-13678","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-artikel-2"],"yoast_head":"\nThe \u00abBig Bang Theory\u00bb in Personal Branding - Karrierecoaching - Peter N\u00e4f<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Applicants often fear that their personality is not sufficient; however, they are the best they can offer just the way they are.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/2026.karrierecoaching.ch\/en\/the-big-bang-theory-in-personal-branding\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"The \u00abBig Bang Theory\u00bb in Personal Branding - Karrierecoaching - Peter N\u00e4f\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Applicants often fear that their personality is not sufficient; however, they are the best they can offer just the way they are.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/2026.karrierecoaching.ch\/en\/the-big-bang-theory-in-personal-branding\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Karrierecoaching - Peter N\u00e4f\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2025-08-25T14:39:38+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2026-04-21T06:39:11+00:00\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"karrier\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"karrier\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"3 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/2026.karrierecoaching.ch\/en\/the-big-bang-theory-in-personal-branding\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/2026.karrierecoaching.ch\/en\/the-big-bang-theory-in-personal-branding\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"karrier\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/2026.karrierecoaching.ch\/en\/#\/schema\/person\/519a04be943d3f6c4fb243f6a0f7f3ae\"},\"headline\":\"The \u00abBig Bang Theory\u00bb in Personal Branding\",\"datePublished\":\"2025-08-25T14:39:38+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-04-21T06:39:11+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/2026.karrierecoaching.ch\/en\/the-big-bang-theory-in-personal-branding\/\"},\"wordCount\":440,\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/2026.karrierecoaching.ch\/en\/#organization\"},\"articleSection\":[\"Artikel\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/2026.karrierecoaching.ch\/en\/the-big-bang-theory-in-personal-branding\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/2026.karrierecoaching.ch\/en\/the-big-bang-theory-in-personal-branding\/\",\"name\":\"The \u00abBig Bang Theory\u00bb in Personal Branding - Karrierecoaching - Peter N\u00e4f\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/2026.karrierecoaching.ch\/en\/#website\"},\"datePublished\":\"2025-08-25T14:39:38+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-04-21T06:39:11+00:00\",\"description\":\"Applicants often fear that their personality is not sufficient; however, they are the best they can offer just the way they are.\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/2026.karrierecoaching.ch\/en\/the-big-bang-theory-in-personal-branding\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/2026.karrierecoaching.ch\/en\/the-big-bang-theory-in-personal-branding\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/2026.karrierecoaching.ch\/en\/the-big-bang-theory-in-personal-branding\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Startseite\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/2026.karrierecoaching.ch\/en\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"The \u00abBig Bang Theory\u00bb in Personal Branding\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/2026.karrierecoaching.ch\/en\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/2026.karrierecoaching.ch\/en\/\",\"name\":\"Karrierecoaching - Peter N\u00e4f\",\"description\":\"| Outplacement | Coaching | Standortbestimmung | Bewerbungs- und Interviewcoaching\",\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/2026.karrierecoaching.ch\/en\/#organization\"},\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\/\/2026.karrierecoaching.ch\/en\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":\"required name=search_term_string\"}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Organization\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/2026.karrierecoaching.ch\/en\/#organization\",\"name\":\"karrierecoaching Peter N\u00e4f\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/2026.karrierecoaching.ch\/en\/\",\"logo\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/2026.karrierecoaching.ch\/en\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/2026.karrierecoaching.ch\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/logo_small.png\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/2026.karrierecoaching.ch\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/logo_small.png\",\"width\":421,\"height\":113,\"caption\":\"karrierecoaching Peter N\u00e4f\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/2026.karrierecoaching.ch\/en\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/\"}},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/2026.karrierecoaching.ch\/en\/#\/schema\/person\/519a04be943d3f6c4fb243f6a0f7f3ae\",\"name\":\"karrier\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/2026.karrierecoaching.ch\/en\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/336f6993b2b0fc83a3fd708a462124239f9081f85eb32b063f80317d2afc7799?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/336f6993b2b0fc83a3fd708a462124239f9081f85eb32b063f80317d2afc7799?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"caption\":\"karrier\"},\"url\":\"https:\/\/2026.karrierecoaching.ch\/en\/author\/karrier\/\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"The \u00abBig Bang Theory\u00bb in Personal Branding - Karrierecoaching - Peter N\u00e4f","description":"Applicants often fear that their personality is not sufficient; however, they are the best they can offer just the way they are.","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/2026.karrierecoaching.ch\/en\/the-big-bang-theory-in-personal-branding\/","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"The \u00abBig Bang Theory\u00bb in Personal Branding - Karrierecoaching - Peter N\u00e4f","og_description":"Applicants often fear that their personality is not sufficient; however, they are the best they can offer just the way they are.","og_url":"https:\/\/2026.karrierecoaching.ch\/en\/the-big-bang-theory-in-personal-branding\/","og_site_name":"Karrierecoaching - Peter N\u00e4f","article_published_time":"2025-08-25T14:39:38+00:00","article_modified_time":"2026-04-21T06:39:11+00:00","author":"karrier","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"karrier","Est. reading time":"3 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"Article","@id":"https:\/\/2026.karrierecoaching.ch\/en\/the-big-bang-theory-in-personal-branding\/#article","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/2026.karrierecoaching.ch\/en\/the-big-bang-theory-in-personal-branding\/"},"author":{"name":"karrier","@id":"https:\/\/2026.karrierecoaching.ch\/en\/#\/schema\/person\/519a04be943d3f6c4fb243f6a0f7f3ae"},"headline":"The \u00abBig Bang Theory\u00bb in Personal Branding","datePublished":"2025-08-25T14:39:38+00:00","dateModified":"2026-04-21T06:39:11+00:00","mainEntityOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/2026.karrierecoaching.ch\/en\/the-big-bang-theory-in-personal-branding\/"},"wordCount":440,"publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/2026.karrierecoaching.ch\/en\/#organization"},"articleSection":["Artikel"],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/2026.karrierecoaching.ch\/en\/the-big-bang-theory-in-personal-branding\/","url":"https:\/\/2026.karrierecoaching.ch\/en\/the-big-bang-theory-in-personal-branding\/","name":"The \u00abBig Bang Theory\u00bb in Personal Branding - Karrierecoaching - Peter N\u00e4f","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/2026.karrierecoaching.ch\/en\/#website"},"datePublished":"2025-08-25T14:39:38+00:00","dateModified":"2026-04-21T06:39:11+00:00","description":"Applicants often fear that their personality is not sufficient; however, they are the best they can offer just the way they are.","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/2026.karrierecoaching.ch\/en\/the-big-bang-theory-in-personal-branding\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/2026.karrierecoaching.ch\/en\/the-big-bang-theory-in-personal-branding\/"]}]},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/2026.karrierecoaching.ch\/en\/the-big-bang-theory-in-personal-branding\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Startseite","item":"https:\/\/2026.karrierecoaching.ch\/en\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"The \u00abBig Bang Theory\u00bb in Personal Branding"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/2026.karrierecoaching.ch\/en\/#website","url":"https:\/\/2026.karrierecoaching.ch\/en\/","name":"Karrierecoaching - Peter N\u00e4f","description":"| Outplacement | Coaching | Standortbestimmung | Bewerbungs- und Interviewcoaching","publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/2026.karrierecoaching.ch\/en\/#organization"},"potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/2026.karrierecoaching.ch\/en\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":"required name=search_term_string"}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https:\/\/2026.karrierecoaching.ch\/en\/#organization","name":"karrierecoaching Peter N\u00e4f","url":"https:\/\/2026.karrierecoaching.ch\/en\/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/2026.karrierecoaching.ch\/en\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/2026.karrierecoaching.ch\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/logo_small.png","contentUrl":"https:\/\/2026.karrierecoaching.ch\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/logo_small.png","width":421,"height":113,"caption":"karrierecoaching Peter N\u00e4f"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/2026.karrierecoaching.ch\/en\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/"}},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/2026.karrierecoaching.ch\/en\/#\/schema\/person\/519a04be943d3f6c4fb243f6a0f7f3ae","name":"karrier","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/2026.karrierecoaching.ch\/en\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/336f6993b2b0fc83a3fd708a462124239f9081f85eb32b063f80317d2afc7799?s=96&d=mm&r=g","contentUrl":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/336f6993b2b0fc83a3fd708a462124239f9081f85eb32b063f80317d2afc7799?s=96&d=mm&r=g","caption":"karrier"},"url":"https:\/\/2026.karrierecoaching.ch\/en\/author\/karrier\/"}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/2026.karrierecoaching.ch\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13678","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/2026.karrierecoaching.ch\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/2026.karrierecoaching.ch\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/2026.karrierecoaching.ch\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/2026.karrierecoaching.ch\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=13678"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/2026.karrierecoaching.ch\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13678\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":15748,"href":"https:\/\/2026.karrierecoaching.ch\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13678\/revisions\/15748"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/2026.karrierecoaching.ch\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=13678"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/2026.karrierecoaching.ch\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=13678"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/2026.karrierecoaching.ch\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=13678"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}