The personal branding wave is continuing to evolve and develop. Of course, the emergence and popularity of the social web has accelerated the process. Today’s job seeker, as well as those interested in progressing within a company and/or industry, have embraced the process as welcome and necessary.
Many of you are working hard to identify your brand proposition, developing an identity online and offline, etc. Breaking through the noise is still the goal – and it’s getting harder all the time. The competition for jobs and promotions is getting more and more fierce.
Making your brand is mission critical
Ask yourself these questions:
- Does my branding (logo, business cards etc) reflect me accurately?
- Am I dressed and groomed appropriately to represent the companies I’m interested in working for?
- Do I demonstrate my expertise in my online presence?
Even the best brands need to constantly improve. Review your personal brand statement periodically to ensure it says who you are and describes the value you bring to the table.
Common mistakes
Don’t undo your hard work by making common branding mistakes.
- Inconsistency – Do you have one avatar you use everywhere? Pick a good picture and use it all the time. It’s ok to have different videos and photos out there, as long as they represent your core values, etc. But your avatar should stay the same and become familiar.
- Mixed messages – Using lots of communication platforms is a good idea so make sure you’re saying the same thing on all of them. Repetition is a critical factor in making a brand, but too much ‘cheerleading’ can annoy people. There’s a fine line there, and you have to find that for you.
- Failure to monitor your online reputation – Being oblivious to your online reputation is unforgiveable. You must continue to monitor your brand via Google and other tools.
Please avoid these personal branding mistakes at all costs when you are working so hard to make your brand. Use the tools available – both online and offline – and be persistent.
This recession won’t last forever, and you want to be ready when the hiring comes on full strength!
Author:
Beverly Macy is the Managing Partner of Y&M Partners and teaches a social media class at the UCLA Extension. She also co-hosts Gravity Summit events and provides personal branding coaching.
