6 Steps to Fully Charge Your Personal Brand! Ten years ago few had heard of the idea of personal branding. The only ones capitalizing on this ideology were socialites such as Kim Kardashian, Paris Hilton, and Nicole Richie. Today everyone whether you’re a mechanic, teacher, or a CEO should have a personal brand and a digital presence online. You need to be your own publicist when it comes to your career. The good news is with the increase use of social media, personal branding our careers has become more accessible and easier to achieve than ever before! If you’re thinking the idea of personal branding is not necessary for you, I urge you to think again! Competition is tight and there are more people actively seeking out work than ever before. This isn’t just a result of increased unemployment rates but also due to the fact that longevity on one job is falling by the wayside. Trends are showing an increase in the number of times a person will change jobs during the course of their career. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, last year the median job tenure for all demographics was 4.6 years. However, for those between the ages of 25 to 34 that number dropped significantly to 3.2 years. Now is the time to be proactive about our career future before we end up with a dead battery! Today the #1 way employers find job candidates is through referrals. It is crucial for career growth that your name is recognized and your accomplishments are known by as many people as possible. Effectively branding yourself within your industry will allow for you to be the one being sought out for new opportunities vs. the one seeking out new opportunities. Are you following me now? Here are 6 steps to give your personal brand a full charge! #1 Clearly Define Who You Are In order to create a successful personal brand you must first establish who you are and what you represent. I have worked with many clients who are self-profound jack-of-all-trades. While you may have a variety of experience that you would like to showcase, not all of your experience may be relevant. Employers want to see a clearly defined image, one that is easy for them to understand how they may be able to collaborate with you. Do some soul searching to find out exactly who you are professionally and where you want to be. Position yourself for the job you want not the one you necessarily have right now. #2 Establish Yourself on Social Media Sites With a variety of social media sites available online the ability to increase your visibility within your profession is fairly reachable and can cross over internationally if you so desire. Sites such as Linkedin, Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram have made a push in the social media arena. Approximately, 80% of job candidates are finding jobs through their professional connections. Establish a professional page on various social media sites and get connected with others in your industry. Keep it professional and never blend your personal life with your professional image. #3 Maintain a Professional Email Address Your professional email should be separate from your personal email. I have worked with clients that have used personal email addresses that have very unique and unusual names. Remember the goal of your personal brand. Think of a professional name for your email address and keep it simple. Things that are too strange or cutesy can leave a bad taste in an potential employer’s mouth. #4 Create a Personal Website For as little as $10.00 a year you can make a big impact on your personal brand by establishing a personal website. This is a great way to market your talents and showcase your accomplishments. Many sites such as GoDaddy have website builders that will allow you to customize the look and feel of your website without any knowledge of web design. Once you have created your personal website make sure to add it to your social media pages to gain greater visibility. #5 Start a Professional Blog To go along with your personal website consider blogging about subject matters you are experienced in. You can set up a free blog site at wordpress. Blogging will help establish you as a subject matter expert in your field. You can also link your blog post to your social media sites and post them on various discussion boards. #6 Get Affiliated with Industry Organizations Conduct a web search to find out what industry organizations hold the most credibility within your profession. Most industry organizations well allow you to become a member for a monetary fee. Additionally, many have certifications exams available that will validate your knowledge and expertise in your industry. Keep in mind memberships and certifications can be costly so doing your research will ensure your investment doesn’t go to waste.
Posted on: Tue, 13 Aug 2013 06:06:55 +0000
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