Branding Yourself Online Drexel University July 29, 2009

What does it mean to brand yourself? Know yourself--what you're good at, what you want to be when you grow up, what your values are Make yourself visible in a positive way Showcase your skills Showcase your values Get the attention of potential employers Use Multiple Channels Don't rely on just LinkedIn or Facebook, etc. Take advantage of the many social applications out there Build relationships Social software is social! It's about the people. Respond to questions, help people out. When possible, meet in person.

Know yourself--what you're good at, what you want to be when you grow up, what your values are

Make yourself visible in a positive way

Showcase your skills

Showcase your values

Get the attention of potential employers

Use Multiple Channels

Don't rely on just LinkedIn or Facebook, etc.

Take advantage of the many social applications out there

Build relationships

Social software is social! It's about the people.

Respond to questions, help people out.

When possible, meet in person.

Google yourself

Create a hub

Facebook Positive uses Easy way to keep up with current and former classmates These classmates can be valuable connections Find groups related to your field Easy to use Popular Negative aspects Overwhelming environment; unfocused Slightly younger crowd, may not find the influential people in your field Has a negative reputation in the corporate world

Positive uses

Easy way to keep up with current and former classmates

These classmates can be valuable connections

Find groups related to your field

Easy to use

Popular

Negative aspects

Overwhelming environment; unfocused

Slightly younger crowd, may not find the influential people in your field

Has a negative reputation in the corporate world

Your Facebook Profile and Settings Profile Profile photo--semi-professionl: have some fun, but not too much fun Other photos--be aware of photos that others take and tag you in; those should be positive as well List work and school experience List current contact info, websites, etc. Be aware of what the info says about you; you may wish to leave political or religious views out Settings Most things should be set to Friends Only Leave contact info, work and school info open as widely as you're comfortable with

Profile

Profile photo--semi-professionl: have some fun, but not too much fun

Other photos--be aware of photos that others take and tag you in; those should be positive as well

List work and school experience

List current contact info, websites, etc.

Be aware of what the info says about you; you may wish to leave political or religious views out

Settings

Most things should be set to Friends Only

Leave contact info, work and school info open as widely as you're comfortable with

Linked In: The Grownups' Facebook Positive Very professional site Good way to connect with people Good way to have a resume online Acceptable to get introduced to people, ask about jobs, etc. Recommendation Feature Answers feature Negative Boring (compared to Facebook) Little coordination with other social tools--blogs, even Facebook No groups to speak of

Positive

Very professional site

Good way to connect with people

Good way to have a resume online

Acceptable to get introduced to people, ask about jobs, etc.

Recommendation Feature

Answers feature

Negative

Boring (compared to Facebook)

Little coordination with other social tools--blogs, even Facebook

No groups to speak of

Facebook vs. LinkedIn

Ways to Stand Out Facebook Start a group related to your field or to an interest Start a cause Host an event for a group/cause Linked In Answer questions Start or join a group

Facebook

Start a group related to your field or to an interest

Start a cause

Host an event for a group/cause

Linked In

Answer questions

Start or join a group

Blog/Website Your own blog/website Show off knowledge Show off writing skills Link to profiles Build a readership Build a reputation/expertise So you don't want your own site Find a few blogs in your field--leave comments Alternatively, join email lists or forum sites Always leave link to profile and/or email

Your own blog/website

Show off knowledge

Show off writing skills

Link to profiles

Build a readership

Build a reputation/expertise

So you don't want your own site

Find a few blogs in your field--leave comments

Alternatively, join email lists or forum sites

Always leave link to profile and/or email

Setting up your own site Blogs Free, hosted blogs Blogger (owned by Google) Wordpress.com Vox.com LiveJournal Paid options Typepad Web sites (which can include blogs) Web space can cost as little as $4.95/mo. In many cases, you need to know very little to set up Can install blog software, wiki and forum software and more

Blogs

Free, hosted blogs

Blogger (owned by Google)

Wordpress.com

Vox.com

LiveJournal

Paid options

Typepad

Web sites (which can include blogs)

Web space can cost as little as $4.95/mo.

In many cases, you need to know very little to set up

Can install blog software, wiki and forum software and more

Using RSS & Widgets Facebook/LinkedIn Widgets Link to profile or feed status updates Most social sites have RSS Feeds Look for the RSS symbol Use built-in Widgets Blogger has many options

Facebook/LinkedIn Widgets

Link to profile or feed status updates

Most social sites have RSS Feeds

Look for the RSS symbol

Use built-in Widgets

Blogger has many options

Other Ways to Promote Yourself Twitter Photos Videos Presentations Bookmark Social Networks for specific fields(outside of Facebook/LinkedIn)

Twitter

Photos

Videos

Presentations

Bookmark

Social Networks for specific fields(outside of Facebook/LinkedIn)

Microblogging, aka Twitter Similar to Facebook status updates, but stand-alone site/app Use to post links, ask questions, etc. Updates are searchable via the web Connect with job postings Connect with prominent people in field Find apps and more at http://twitter.pbworks.com/

Similar to Facebook status updates, but stand-alone site/app

Use to post links, ask questions, etc.

Updates are searchable via the web

Connect with job postings

Connect with prominent people in field

Find apps and more at http://twitter.pbworks.com/

Other Places to Promote Yourself Photos Flickr, Photobucket, SmugMug Also via Facebook Videos YouTube, Vimeo, Blip.tv Via Facebook Presentations Slideshare.net, Slideboom Bookmarks Delicious, Digg, Diigo Social Networks Ning

Photos

Flickr, Photobucket, SmugMug

Also via Facebook

Videos

YouTube, Vimeo, Blip.tv

Via Facebook

Presentations

Slideshare.net, Slideboom

Bookmarks

Delicious, Digg, Diigo

Social Networks

Ning

Places with more advice Brand Yourself--great place for both new graduates and seasoned job seekers http://brand-yourself.com blog: http://blog.brand-yourself.com Personal Branding Blog: Written by Dan Schwaebel, author of Me 2.0 http://www.personalbrandingblog.com/ Garr Reynolds on Branding Yourself http://www.garrreynolds.com/Branding/brandyou.html http://www.skelliewag.org/how-to-start-or-start-over-building-your-personal-brand-877.htm

Brand Yourself--great place for both new graduates and seasoned job seekers

http://brand-yourself.com

blog: http://blog.brand-yourself.com

Personal Branding Blog: Written by Dan Schwaebel, author of Me 2.0

http://www.personalbrandingblog.com/

Garr Reynolds on Branding Yourself

http://www.garrreynolds.com/Branding/brandyou.html

http://www.skelliewag.org/how-to-start-or-start-over-building-your-personal-brand-877.htm