Responses to recent tweets by people about personal branding and not showering, online portfolios and donations to non-profits.
Personal branding hygiene
Greg Hartle, @greghartle, twittered: Experts: Am I hurting my personal brand by not showering for four days?
Jacob Share, @jacobshare: Not if you work from home by yourself and don’t do video.
Yes if you work with other people regularly, especially if they all seem to suddenly remember something they need to do back in their office/cubicle/etc. and don’t come back until one of your neighbors has assured them that the coast is clear and the maintenance crew has finished reorienting the air vents around your area to their original positions of 4 days ago.
POL: Portfolios Online
Ileen Radwan, @Ileen_075, twittered: What do you think of online portfolios? Do you think they can help build a personal brand to attract employers? Why or why not?
Jacob Share, @jacobshare: The pros of online portfolios far outweigh the cons for personal brand builders.
Cons
1) People can copy (or even steal) your work
2) If you choose the wrong portfolio site and/or don’t optimize your portfolio for relevant keyword phrases, your portfolio may never be found in search results
Pros
1) People can copy (or even steal) your work BUT if they credit you for it, more people will see it. The more people credit you, the more you will be considered an influencer, which is a hallmark of a strong personal brand.
2) If you choose the right portfolio site and optimize your portfolio for relevant keyword phrases, your portfolio will be found in search results for people querying your name but more importantly, for other queries relevant to your industry, such as the ones that employers are using to find people just like you.
Do donations help the giver too?
The Rainmaker, @TheoTheThird, twittered: “Being a financial contributor to a non-profit group helps a professional’s personal brand.” Would my followers agree?
Jacob Share, @jacobshare: If you view the non-profit group positively and your donation inspires you to build your personal brand even more, then it’s good for your personal brand.If the non-profit group views you positively and is compelled to recommend you to e.g. other relevant non-profits, it’s good for your personal brand.
If your contribution is made public and the public had (at least) no prior reason to view either you or the non-profit group negatively, it’s good for your personal brand.
For this to be even more effective:
- Choose a non-profit that, while not necessarily specific to your industry, is one that is well-respected in your industry
- Choose a non-profit that is really struggling i.e. your donation will be extra appreciated in its hour of need
- Let the non-profit publicize your contribution on their website & social media profiles as opposed to boasting about it on your own website & social media profiles, which comes across as self-serving and weakens your brand instead of strengthening it
Finally, financial contributions aren’t the only way. Here are 10 ideas to creatively give towards building business and community.
Author:
Jacob Share, a job search expert, is the creator of JobMob, one of the biggest blogs in the world about finding jobs. Follow him on Twitter for job search tips and humor.
