“If you don’t brand yourself, Google will do it for you” – Sherry Beck Paprocki, co-author, The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Branding Yourself

“Just like flight attendants state, you need to put on your own oxygen mask before helping others”  – Lindsay Pollack

You have the power to positively influence your professional reputation

• Values, Skills, Character, Unique Voice, etc. = You
• How it is “packaged” and conveyed outwardly = Branding
• Your reputation as reflected back by others = Brand

You are advised to participate in social media professionally

• Provides networking opportunities
• Demonstrates motivation and engagement
• Demonstrates computer skills
• Demonstrates communication skills
• Makes you “findable” to employers

Are you a job seeker?

A recent Jobvite survey indicated:

• 80 percent use or are planning to use social networking to find and attract candidates
• 72 percent plan to increase their use of social networks

Among those:

• 95% use linkedin.com
• 59% use facebook.com
• 42% use twitter.com

By contrast only 26 percent plan to increase use of job boards

The main points: Employers are both sourcing and screening online so get your brand correct: “own” your online presence It’s probably okay if nothing is found. But, it’s better to control the message.

The 5-step process of branding includes:

1:   Determine and differentiate your strengths for a particular context … who you are and what you do
2:   Shape your message … how you talk about your brand
3:   Manage information and presentation … where you talk about your brand and how it looks, i.e., establish the online presence
4:   Be consistent with on-message activities … same look and feel for all social media sites
5:   Monitor how efforts are being received .. obtain feedback from your professional colleagues on your “personal brand”

Set up a routine that works for you:

• 15-20 minutes of Twitter per day
• 2-3 Linkedin answers or blog comments per week
• 1 blog post per week
• 1 12 second.tv video per week

What is holding you back?

• General reluctance or skepticism
• Platform reluctance (twitter, for example)
• Technological challenges/abilities
• Understanding value
• Return on investment
• Lack of time/commitment

Get going now:

Preparing yourself:

• Familiarize yourself with notable platforms
• Linkedin
• Facebook
• Twitter
• Wordpress
• Establish your own online presence
• Talk with colleagues and peers
• Find time to read and learn on an ongoing basis
• Best source = do it yourself!
• Good reading = mashable.com