Does personal branding work if I'm currently employed?

Yes. Some of the strongest profiles built using this method belonged to people who were still fully employed — they were not looking to leave, they were simply making sure their next door was already open before they needed it.

A personal brand built quietly, over time, while you are still working, carries none of the urgency or desperation that can come from building one only after a job ends. It becomes preparation, not panic.