Good advice, but be careful not to spread yourself so thin that you lose the effectiveness of your personal brand message. Leaving half-filled out profiles on social media and job networking sites can be just as damaging as not putting them up at all.
Gadget Sleuth
· 12 months ago
Excellent advice, but much of it is harder said than done, unless you're someone who's shook hands with thousands of people, and worked at a number of companies. Even so, marketing your own "brand" is an important thought process in this messed up job climate.
Dan Schawbel
· 12 months ago
@Stuart - As you grow, your brand needs to grow. Which means you should only join what you can handle (cause you will have to update). The key here is to do a sanity check every few months, so that they are still consistent and accurately represent "brand you."
@Gadget - Personal branding is a process and it takes time. Patience is a virtue!
Amar Patel
· 12 months ago
Great post!
Would like to add to points 1 and 7: Make it easy for others to network with you. I put links to my various on-line profiles (Twitter, Plaxo and LinkedIn) on my email signature. A simple touch, which doesn't force your brand down people's throats.
Jason Alba
· 12 months ago
Dan, great post and great ideas. Building on the other comments, and your response about this being a "process," I think it's critical that you think about how personal branding fits into how you manage your own career.
Some of the stuff you need to do is one-time (like setting up a profile on a social site), but other stuff should be part of a schedule... like, give recommendations on LinkedIn once a week or once a month, comment on blogs once a week or once a month, etc.
Also, regarding the database, you know my site is a personal CRM used to manage career relationships... I can't emphasize how important it is to start collecting and organizing your network contacts now, before you need them (as you mention). When you get laid off, or get in transition, you'll have so many other worries and concerns that trying to figure out who is "in your network" will be a sloppy exercise.
Is this stuff hard, and does it take time? Whether it is or not, it's seriously time to take charge of your own career path, and networking and your personal brand are key.
On the one hand, I think this is completely on-point, strategically correct, and one of the best concise articles I have read about social tech, people, networking, and careers. I practically live by this stuff. But it comes naturally; I didn't read it in a self-help book. Which leads me to...
On the other hand, I think it's useless. Why? Because I think you either have "the chops" or you don't. People are natural networkers and communicators, or they aren't. Sure, you can improve and tinker - but it's sorta like an SAT score. Kaplan can make you go up 100 points, but not 500.
Great article, Dan.
Craig
· 12 months ago
Key is to be proactive. All your tips stem to that and it's all about networking and making small friendships. Little relationships can go a far way. That's why Twitter has become so useful.
Steve Boese
· 12 months ago
Really clear, concise advice that is very relevant always, but more so lately. I preach this stuff to my students and hope that they will start to see social networking as being more powerful than a toll for organizing a weekend kegger.
Hans Muster
· 12 months ago
Clearly, you are all insane.
Alastair McDermott
· 12 months ago
Great post, and applies to all of us self-employed/business owners/trainers/consultants and whatever else category non-employee people consider themselves in!
Re: some of the other comments that 1) it's common sense - sometimes common sense needs to be pointed out, and 2) you can't learn this stuff: sure you can - it's just another skill. Put some effort into it!
Cheers, Alastair.
Andrea Alfieri
· 12 months ago
Usefull advice, but common sense should always prevail. Loads of people out there are already bragging about skills and competences that they don't really have... "social media cowboys" will soon be on the increase. A network is vital, no question about that, but using the same tools, acting the same way, talking the same language we run the risk to all look like "karaoke" style's professionals. Personally I think one should find his/her own authentic angle, (language/approach/tools).
pweb
· 12 months ago
Think of myself as a brand? This is one of the most awful ideas I have ever heard, and the fella who thought it up should be sent to sit a in a dark room by himself for a very, very long time. What's next? A personal logo which embodies my 'personality'? A personalised theme tune which sounds whenever I enter a room? Stop trying to define yourself by the things you have and do. You are a human being, not a a brand.
Joseph Curran
· 9 months ago
This is a good article for anyone trying to brand themselves... Working(employed) or Not(self-employed. I think that the information in the article lays out steps and ideas that anyone could follow who is working in social networks or who is trying to develop a presence in the social media area.
Joseph Curran
· 9 months ago
This is a good article for anyone trying to brand themselves... Working(employed) or Not(self-employed. I think that the information in the article lays out steps and ideas that anyone could follow who is working in social networks or who is trying to develop a presence in the social media area.
Karen Benson
· 9 months ago
Interesting strategies, however, most companies in the U.S. are small companies with only a few employees. If you want to work for a big corporation then I think these strategies would be more successful than if you wanted to work for a small company. How many small business owners are to be found surfing on social networking sites? It's my guess it would be a small percentrage. It's still a great idea to get out and walk through doors (real doors), introduce yourself, talk nicely to the receptionist, find out who the person is who does the hiring, and try to get some face time with that person. There is also no substitute for doing your homework about a company to find out what you can about that company, and to figure out how you would add value to that company.
David Silva
· 9 months ago
Good article here. Great advice for people to follow and I think I've gotten a few ideas that I can apply myself.
Along_Parker88
· 8 months ago
Thanks for the presentation. We at http://us.buuuz.com Find this very useful.
Marci Reynolds
· 8 months ago
Great advice.. the concept of a "personal brand" is hot right now. I recently read some posts from Scott The Nametage Guy.. an interesting fellow, and one thing that stuck with me is -no-one likes boring. When we job hunt, we often think professional.. make a nice impression. But, that's also boring.. Our brand must also make us interesting and unique.. not like everyone else.
Diego
· 7 months ago
Knowing how to brand others in your Cyber Community is definitely something very important. However, the best way to brand people with your name is by being passionate about helping others and the wellbeing of the fellow-men. Try being an advisor on technical subjects at technical oriented blogs, join groups of technical topics, start being a producer not just an spectator.
Diego
· 7 months ago
Knowing how to brand others in your Cyber Community is definitely something very important. However, the best way to brand people with your name is by being passionate about helping others and the wellbeing of the fellow-men. Try being an advisor on technical subjects at technical oriented blogs, join groups of technical topics, start being a producer not just an spectator.
yinka olaito
· 5 months ago
Great post Dan, keep it up.
brian fanslau
· 4 months ago
Absolutely Fantastic Content! Personal Branding truly does set you apart and is fun and challenging. Making yourself step up to the plate become a leader in your Niche and Expertise is invaluable; especially in this economy where you need to stand out and truly be a irreplaceable asset.
All Comments
@Gadget - Personal branding is a process and it takes time. Patience is a virtue!
Would like to add to points 1 and 7: Make it easy for others to network with you. I put links to my various on-line profiles (Twitter, Plaxo and LinkedIn) on my email signature. A simple touch, which doesn't force your brand down people's throats.
Some of the stuff you need to do is one-time (like setting up a profile on a social site), but other stuff should be part of a schedule... like, give recommendations on LinkedIn once a week or once a month, comment on blogs once a week or once a month, etc.
Also, regarding the database, you know my site is a personal CRM used to manage career relationships... I can't emphasize how important it is to start collecting and organizing your network contacts now, before you need them (as you mention). When you get laid off, or get in transition, you'll have so many other worries and concerns that trying to figure out who is "in your network" will be a sloppy exercise.
Is this stuff hard, and does it take time? Whether it is or not, it's seriously time to take charge of your own career path, and networking and your personal brand are key.
Jason Alba
CEO - JibberJobber.com
Author - I'm on LinkedIn -- Now What???
On the one hand, I think this is completely on-point, strategically correct, and one of the best concise articles I have read about social tech, people, networking, and careers. I practically live by this stuff. But it comes naturally; I didn't read it in a self-help book. Which leads me to...
On the other hand, I think it's useless. Why? Because I think you either have "the chops" or you don't. People are natural networkers and communicators, or they aren't. Sure, you can improve and tinker - but it's sorta like an SAT score. Kaplan can make you go up 100 points, but not 500.
Great article, Dan.
Re: some of the other comments that 1) it's common sense - sometimes common sense needs to be pointed out, and 2) you can't learn this stuff: sure you can - it's just another skill. Put some effort into it!
Cheers,
Alastair.
Personally I think one should find his/her own authentic angle, (language/approach/tools).