The CV(also known as the résumé) was the big deal for years, as people needed some kind of document to promote themselves in search of a job. It was the most rudimentary branding tool. Now millions of jobseekers look to the internet (as do millions of companies, looking for talent). So don't you think you should update your branding tools? And what do you think Employers do when they get your application? They Google you.
Personal Branding is an idea that started with Tom Peters about 15 years ago, and is now hugely impacted by our powerful ability to search anything about anyone. You see, years ago, you met someone, you knew a little about them because you knew what school they went to, who they were dating, what kind of car they drove, what company they worked for. There are bits and pieces of information that you can use to really paint a picture of someone. But you're guessing there. There's a lot of assumptions you're making when you say Jane is hip and trendy because she drives a Hyundai Sonata.
Basically, companies that got your resume would make assumptions about you based on your school, your accomplishments, and weed you out and eventually interview the top five candidates. Now they can do all of that, and more, before they get to the interview stage. Which is great, because about 100X more people are applying!
Click. Click. You're hired.
The level of detail that your 'Google Search' reveals about you is so rich that we can actually start talking about Personal Branding online. What are you saying online? What are you saying in real life? Do they match? Are you saying something that everyone else is saying? Or do you have your own personal twist? Because if you don't, you don't really have a strong brand. Which means companies, contacts, and people, might not remember you. Not cool.
When I was finishing high school I wanted to do something creative. I wanted to try design. For that I had to put together a portfolio of my work, my best drawings, paintings, sketches, compiled in a tight package with a theme. It had to look professional and had to express my personality. I liked drawing steely cityscapes, and natural scenes, in bizarre, disorienting perspectives. They could see right away. They loved my portfolio. But as a service provider (eg. a manager, talent hunter, PR expert, Accountant, etc) you don't really want to show off your ledgers. No one's asking for some of your best Excel spreadsheets (or maybe there are !), but you can reveal a ton by crafting your online brand. That's what they're getting when they hire you: your brains and your great personality.
Besides your general Google search feedback, you have to get a LinkedIn account. The professional network is used by one and all to keep in touch with colleagues, classmates and prospects to help share job tips, and put teams of talented people together. You want to be in there, you want all your best colleagues and classmates talking to you, and you want to make sure your profile is professional. After reading this book, I went back and checked out my profile: It looked OK, but I was getting lazy, because I'd stopped giving out my business cards everywhere and putting those cards that I did receive into LinkedIn. My network was less than 100 people. How embarrassing. Because of this book, I'll be going to a networking even tonight, to get my business card out there. The point of getting more and more connections is you get more tips for job opportunities right in LinkedIn. And of course, more connections to you will benefit you in your Google Ranking as well. Going to networking events means hopefully meeting a handful of smart interesting people overtime you go, and if even a couple of those turn out to be friendly, your network of smart cool ambitious friends keeps growing. I like that.
A riff on an old saying goes, "It's not who you know, it's who knows you." I saw that on a T-shirt years ago, and it's so true. And that's what Me 2.0 is about. If you have a weak personal brand, people don't know you and they don't know why you're so interesting and unique. Because so much of our lives take place online nowadays, cultivating an online brand is a great place to start.
Yes this involves a great deal of self-reflection, but it should be an enjoyable process. What do you want people to think when they meet you the first time. Do your clothes reflect that? Do your topics of conversation reflect that? Branding is focusing on the few things you really love, the few projects you love, the few hobbies you love. If you focus your time on that, you'll be distinct and sharp. Your self knowledge is empowering and makes you more confident. If you 'sorta' like everything, you come off as wishy-washy, and kind of a wimp. Nice person, weak brand.
Dan goes into great detail in online branding and blogging. Blogging started a few years ago with people wanting to write about their own personal lives, but it didn't stay like that for long. It turns out, the late-night talk show hosts were right! No one wants to read about your cats! What people really want to do is meet other people who do cool interesting things. Social (online) Networking. That means if you're going to get your own website (blogging is a great place to do that, because it's incredibly easy, and almost always free) you can use it to build your personal brand. Dan runs down the game plan for getting your name out there, getting noticed, and building a following. This is huge. The more popular your blog/website/online portfolio/online CV gets, the higher your Google Ranking. And suddenly, you are 'somebody' when the recruiters do a search on your name. You might even be an expert. In Dan Schawbel's case, it led to numerous interviews with Fast Company and Fortune magazine, and speaking engagements (cha-ching!), and amazing job opportunities.
This book is the playbook, not for the optional attempt to get a high score on the interwebs, but for the totally necessary on and offline branding that is going to get you noticed, get you paid and get you into the big leagues, In whatever field you're in, doing whatever cool projects you want to be doing. Bottom line, you already have a brand, the question is: how compelling is it?
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