How to build your personal brand on the cheap
Have you ever tried Googling yourself and been shocked by the result? Yes, that dodgy high school goon sack snap is still lurking alongside your hot_babe_diva@hotmail.com email address.
We’ve all done it, but this is a perfect example of negative personal branding that could jeopardise future employment prospects. Your digital footprint has been gathering content since the day you entered the MySpace realm as a blossoming tween with a discman.
Personal branding has become an essential element to a successful career path. What values, beliefs and ideas are you projecting to the public and, more importantly, your employer? Hijacked’s guide will equip you with your free personal branding kit to ensure your stellar image (and not your beer-pong video challenge) is first up in someone’s Google search.
Polish your LinkedIn profile
This majestic online network connects over 300 million professionals all over the world. It offers you a digital resume template that you can furnish with accurate information about your skills and work experience. Stick with the facts and detail chronologically – there’s nothing more embarrassing than being caught red-handed ‘exaggerating’ your role of Shop Assistant to ‘Fashion Designer’.
Free on the basic plan, this ‘professional Facebook’ also lets you get your stalk on. However your future employer and pre-existing connections have the same ability. Avoid the drunken bikini shot and upload a professional and friendly image of yourself. Unlike a tangible paper resume, LinkedIn promotes using professional images so you can put a face to the name.
Remember that recruiter from last night’s networking event who you forgot to get a business card from? Guaranteed they’re on LinkedIn.
Will your tweeting get you a meeting?
Are your witty one-liners and daily existentialist observations social media-worthy? Are your posts appropriate, and do they reflect a strong interest in your industry? Following key industry bodies and companies allows you to create associations and mirror their values. It says you care about Greenpeace, it says you follow current affairs, and it says a lot about your personal brand.
But make sure you use your 140 characters wisely.
Showcase your work
Whether you’re a writer, photographer or the next Tarantino, WordPress is your pal. Exhibit your work on an easily accessible medium with your own unique URL. WordPress offers a number of free funky design themes to suit your style, ranging from basic article features to largely photographic or visual mediums.
Make sure you feature your blog or website on your LinkedIn and Twitter profiles to create strong links between professional platforms.
Professional paper cuts
Let’s talk about some more tangible forms of personal branding. Business cards are a quick and easy exchange of digits in a busy situation, and it’s always been a fantasy of mine to have my own; a personal set of craftily designed artworks of communication with a slogan to melt hearts and change lives.
When it finally came around to designing my own, I opted for a simplistic black and white design, clearly spaced and easy for the receiver to interpret. No cheesy slogan in sight (to my horror), but just a logo, name and contact details were all that was necessary.
Without leaving the comfort of your bed and Netflix, you can design your own original business cards via Vistaprint. A measly 10 bucks gets you a swish deck of 250 cards. Go on – treat yo’self!
Look the part and network
It’s time to show off your new skills at one of the most dreaded nights of the year: networking evenings. Stay updated on industry networking events and those within your university. Impeccable grooming, eye contact and an engaging conversation might be enough to catapult you through to the business card exchange, and later, a LinkedIn connection.
Don’t underestimate the power of personal branding; it might just open another door.