she is a one of a kind, a unique being with an
exceptional story. Every job seeker shouts that he or
she is an industry leader, the right man for the spot
and someone with the single most valuable asset
that can take the company to the next level.
Well, in a world where seven billion people go around
trying to make a name for themselves, and in an
online society with millions of interactions and
connections shaping everything from the
employment market to the dating world, it is
virtually impossible to come along and claim that you
can stand out, make your voice heard and get the
attention of the right people.
This is where personal branding comes in handy
because in the company of YOU, there is plenty of
marketing that can be enacted in order to turn the
once unknown guy into a household reference and
center of attention!
Know your qualities and you'll know how to upgrade
yourself
Generation-Y is sure as hell about what they want to
be, what they want to have, where they want to get
and sometimes how, but what people tend to forget
is that if they don't know who they are first, then the
rest can't flow seamlessly.
Self-evaluation is like detailing an assessment plan
for a company before reshaping it. You should have a
good sense of your strengths and weaknesses, your
skills and what you are known for, your personality
and how it strikes others. You also need to
understand that being honest with yourself and
objectively facing your flaws is imperative, so man
up and get down to it, even if it brings you face to
face with your negative traits that you've always
pretended don't exist!
Why knowing yourself? Because personal branding,
unlike corporate marketing, needs to be based on
true assets and qualifications. If corporate marketing
is about fabrication to manipulate the client base,
personal branding is about marketing what you really
have, so a good way to start is by establishing what
your entourage thinks of you and what you think of
yourself.
Maybe in the past people could be mathematicians,
scientists, architects, philosophers and priests at the
same time, but today, you have to focus on one thing
and work on enhancing it.
If you are good at coding, for example, put all your
energy into this field. You are a bullsh*tter, sharpen
it up so that it gets you what you want. You are a
geek, don't be ashamed of it. Harness your natural
talents to set you apart in your chosen work sector!
Work smart, not hard!
You understand what your strengths are and your
friends have expressed your strengths — Now starts
the important part of personal branding. This entails
focusing on how to improve your skills and in what
direction you want to take your future. You might be
a good speaker, but if you're planning on becoming
an entrepreneur, don't use your tongue to come up
as a pimp, sweet-talking ladies all around!
Use your speaking abilities at getting yourself into
entrepreneurial settings, like dinners and get-
togethers, or by learning how to give convincing talks
and presentations to investors and venture
capitalists. Skills can be applicable to various fields,
but always narrow down your interest to a single
sector and shape your qualifications to match it.
It's all about getting the word around that you are
the best at what you're doing, so that when people
think about the key terms "entrepreneur," "artist," or
"marketer," the first name to pop in someone's mind
is yours!
Social media you say?
This is not news, everyone understands and speaks
all the time about the importance of social media, so
I cannot stress enough the fact that you should use
various outlets extensively to promote your image.
Be sure to share content that links back to the
industry you want to be associated with, but don't
make the mistake of turning into a zombie whose job
is to share every article he finds about
entrepreneurship or technology.
Try to be at the source of content, not at its end! If
you like to be remembered as a reference in your
industry, write about it. Start a blog, launch Facebook
groups or pages, and make videos. You will be able to
establish a brand for yourself if, by just looking at
your Facebook page or reading your blog, someone
can easily say, "Damn this guy knows his sh*t!".
On another note, don't use social media exclusively
as a springboard, but also as a tool to track your
brand image and the industry change. Like pages
that fit in your interest on Facebook and you will
always be updated on what's the latest going on.
Why? It is all about the famous quote "Adapt. React.
Re-Adapt. Act" by Michael Scott.
If you can't understand the latest developments,
along with the new needs and gaps in your industry
of interest, you'll be left in the dust because you
couldn't keep up with the quickly developing world
we live in. An example would be: if you're into
finance and you want everyone to know you as the
"Wall Street guy," then checking CNN Money, CNBC,
Forbes and the like, knowing and talking about the
updates would surely position you as the guy to go to
if I want to talk stocks, bonds and NASDAQ!
The brand is there, how about its management?
What hurts your personal brand the most? Ask
Britney Spears how hard her coke scandals hit her
image! The moral is not that using coke is an unwise
choice when wanting to establish a good brand (not
in this context), but that once you have the image
out there, keeping it clean becomes your job. That
goes for your social presence as well as your offline
interactions.
Sounding like a dumbass on Facebook and then
attending a startup's dinner is not the best approach
to take because everyone will have a prejudice
against you! Align your life with your brand's
message. Whether we are talking about getting
pictures on Facebook, tweeting, hanging out with
certain people, speaking a certain way or dressing in
a certain manner, you have to continually assess how
your actions impact your image and brand.
At the end, it's all worth it because once you are seen
and known the way you want, you become a
reference that stands out immediately and, surprise,
great stuff starts coming your way! People coming to
you asking for advice, for help or for someone to join
their latest project and be part of it, this is plainly
and simply success and opportunities running after
you, rather than having it the other way around!
Sent from my BlackBerry wireless device from MTN
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