Build Your Personal Brand
What is your personal brand and what does that actually mean?
Your personal brand says who you are and what you stand for. Millions of pounds are spent by companies persuading you to buy their product. You are doing the same by investing in your brand, that is, persuading an employer to buy you. Be your own personal Agent. This need not be an expensive or onerous prospect. It is investing in your visibility and your marketability and, as they say in the ads, “because you’re worth it.”
Living Online
Do you have an online presence, and if so, what is it saying about you?
Do you have a professional email address? Your funny, suggestive nickname account does not speak professional employee. Get a new one for job search purposes.
What about your myspace and Facebook pages? If you don’t have a page then sign up. It’s free and you can include as much or as little information as you choose. If you have a page, delete all inappropriate feeds, comments and groups. If you don’t want a potential employer looking at your page make sure your permissions are set accordingly. Plenty of employers search candidates on social networking sites. Which leads on to pictures. What is your picture on Facebook saying about you? Make it a positive message. It is worth having some shots done by a professional photographer. It wont cost the earth and they will capture you in your best light. You can then use them across your online sites.
Sign up to LinkedIn. Increasingly employers are looking to LinkedIn for potential candidates. Again, it is free to create an account. Post your picture on the site and your CV. Update your site, join groups and discussions and search for people you know to link with. Use the CV tips on the confidence hub to create a CV that sells you and what skills and experience you can bring to an organisation. You don not need to spend money on a professional CV service. You can do it very effectively yourself .
Life Long Learning
What are you doing to improve yourself and your prospects? We are moving into an age where a job is not for life. More of us are deciding to have career switch and look in different areas, areas that interest us. What interests you? Why don’t you do something about it? Learn a new skill and put it on your CV. Talk about it on your networking sites. The main purpose for learning Spanish or taking an advanced driving course is because you want to do it and it will make your life more enjoyable. The by product is that it also makes you look good on paper. You are someone who looks to the future and personal development is important to you.
In fact, you are just the sort of person they need.
