"Personal branding" is the latest buzzword. It's a topic that cuts across a number of career management areas. The concept can be extremely helpful, but the language leaves many people feeling that there's a big mystery out there about how to be successful. Let's demystify it, shall we?

There are products, and there are brands. What's the difference? Well, a brand is made up of all the intangible associations that go along with a particular product: the romance of Chanel No.