Personal Branding Tips for Today's Job Seekers
Personal Branding. You’ve heard the term often enough; you simply need to Google ‘personal branding’ and you’ll get thousands of articles on the topic. But what exactly does it mean to you as a jobseeker?
With the online evolution, the world-wide-web has become a resource for information on just about anything … including you! So, if your personal information is ‘out there’ then wouldn’t you want it to reflect who you really are?
As a jobseeker, there’s a good chance a Recruiter or Hiring Manager may be looking online to gather additional insights on a candidate’s suitability for a role.
These tips cover the basics of creating a personal brand for job seeking:
1. Social networks
Decide on which social mediums you would like to focus. Linkedin is the world’s largest professional networking medium and one of the most used social platforms by Recruitment Consultants and Hiring Managers, so it should definitely be considered in your line-up.
2. Write a compelling profile
Find your unique proposition – what sets you part from others – and list your most important professional achievements and convey the value you would bring to an employer. When writing your profile, humanise yourself, let the reader get an insight into your personality and values.
3. Audience
Remember to write your profile for your audience, which as a jobseeker, is to a potential employer or recruitment consultant.
4. Keywords
When writing your profile, make sure you use industry-standard keywords to describe your skills, experience and accomplishments. This will improve your search-ability when an online search is conducted for your particular skillset.
5. Authenticity
Keep it real and reflect your true self. Don’t overstate your accomplishments. Be open and transparent, and you’ll find that your reputation and credibility will stand up for itself.
6. Network
Now that you’ve created your online personal brand, don’t forget to reach out to other professionals. If you don’t already have a network, start by identifying current and former colleagues, people you have met at industry functions and community contacts, and join groups. Importantly, connect with Recruitment Consultants who specialise in your sphere of work.
7. Get social
It is one thing getting your profile live but now it’s time to start getting social online. Regularly Like, Share or Comment on posts in your area of expertise. By social networking, you’ll elevate your personal brand and you’re more likely to be ‘seen’.
This post looks at addressing simple tips to get started however, if you really want to step things up then you can look at creating long form posts on Linkedin, or even start your own blog, with the view of supporting your expertise in your field.
There’s no one right way to create a personal brand, but one thing is for sure, represent yourself well and it will pay dividends in your job search.
