What is Personal Branding?
If you search personal branding on Wikipedia you will find that it is the marketing of your self and your career. When you define yourself via your work history, talents, abilities and personality and put it all in a, virtual, package along with your online presence to help you stand out from the crowd, you have created your own personal brand. It’s you, your history, your experiences, your best attributes and your presence wrapped up nice and neat so that it’s readily presentable.
Thanks to the Internet, personal branding has reached new heights. You can brand yourself online with a number of different online sites and have everything you need to market yourself right into a new career or to further your current career. The sky’s the limit.
Where to Start with Personal Branding
There are a number of steps you can take to get started with creating your personal brand. Getting everything set up can seem daunting but it’s worth the time and effort to further your future and to meet your career goals. Let’s take a look at some options to get you started.
5 Ways to Kick Start Your Personal Branding
- Create an attention getting e-mail signature. There are a few options that can make this a simple process. You can always add your own text signature to your emails. Be sure to include a link to your webpage, LinkedIn profile and others. It’s important that people can connect with you and get to know you. For styled options, you can use browser add ons like WiseStamp. They have free and paid options, depending on the look you wish to achieve.
- Get on LinkedIn. LinkedIn is a great way to connect with companies and brands. It is the primary source for hiring managers and recruiters, online. Think of it as your online resume. This is your first impression, make it count.
- Create a Google+ Profile A well thought out Google+ profile can help you turn up in search engine results, especially on Google. Proper use of keywords and phrasing can help you get your name and expertise in front of the companies you want to work for. You can even link to your LinkedIn profile from here.
- Use Google to Stay in the Know. Google Alerts is a great way to find out about new jobs that open up. Set up alerts by location, industry, company, etc. You could also set up alerts for a specific company that you are interested in. This would be a great way to impress an interviewer with your knowledge of what’s going on with the company.
- Get Social and Stay That Way! Social media is THE way to stay connected with what is going on in the world. Facebook, Twitter and even Instagram are great ways to gain insight into companies that are hiring, job market trends and more. Twitter, is a great platform to chat it up with companies, hiring managers and brands. Facebook can let you get a little more personal. Instagram is a visual platform and can help you get a feel for the personality or atmosphere of the company you are interested in. This also works in reverse, for companies that may be interested in you!
These are just a start to how you can kick start your personal branding to help you find a new career. You can also revamp these options to help further your current career. Whether you’re seeking promotion or new possibilities, getting yourself “out there” is the best start. Here, at EMG, we can help you put your best foot forward. From setting up accounts and creating professional (but personable) profiles to crafting email signatures, setting up Google Alerts and updating your current online presence, EMG want to help you help yourself. Contact us today!