Personal Branding

Personal Branding Erika Penner HR Professional MBA / Masters in Conflict Resolution

Agenda •What is a personal brand? •Where do I start? • How do I showcase my personal brand to potential employers? • How do I choose the right internship or career path? • How do I communicate my personal brand during the interview?

Personal Branding The goal is to influence others by emphasizing your personal strengths and differentiating yourself from others. Similar to a corporate brand, your personal brand is simply “how you package yourself.”

Elements of a Personal Brand • Personal Image/Personality • Competencies • “The Differentiator” Personality includes self confidence

How to Start Personal Branding Based on your personal goals: Consider your strengths and what you want to project to potential employers Write a 15 word (or less) description of yourself “HR professional with advanced cross- cultural communication skills and extensive experience in employee training and development” Step One: Way to start This could be included on the top of your resume

How to Showcase Your Personal Brand • Resume / Cover Letter • Social Media • Portfolio • Interview All three need to send an honest, consistent message to your potential employer.

Resume Basics •Be Specific: Edit your resume for each position you apply for. •Length: 1 page is desired, 2 pages max! • Format: Highlight experiences in order of importance (I recommend: education, internships, then projects and affiliations last) •Errors: Have at least 2 other people edit your resume before you send it out. Must be absolutely 100% flawless! Many people have a generic “objective” tailor it to the company and the position, or just leave it out. (I don’t have one) Errors- Survey that most managers will reject candidacy if they see more than 1 minor error

Resume Strengtheners •30 seconds looking at a resume in order to determine fit. Format matters! (Spacing, fonts) •Projects that don’t involve some actual real world experience are not highly relevant. •Quantify whenever possible! •Professional email address and cell phone message

The Cover Letter • 3 Paragraphs maximum! (Remember the 30 second rule) • Highlight your differentiator (with 1-2 examples) of what you would add to this particular organization. • Address concerns that they may have when looking at your resume (gaps, lack of experience) • Show your personality, but remain professional

Social Media Tips The 4 Steps to Personal Branding using social media (Me 2.0, 2009) www.personalbrandingblog.com Discover your Personal Brand Create your Personal Brand Communicate your Personal Brand Maintain your Personal Brand

Social Media Pitfalls •Your online reputation follows you. Proactively manage it! •The recruiter will google your name. Know what comes up and set a google alert. •Set your boundaries and stay true to them. •Personal websites, Linkedin, and Visual CV all add to your personal brand. Maintaining is the hardest part. Create boundaries and stick to them!

Portfolio This is part of your personal brand and is reflective of your professional growth. •Your resume and portfolio need to be consistent •Start early! The majority of your time should be spent thinking about the most effective way to display yourself. •Don’t let your portfolio speak for you; your portfolio highlights you as a professional, not the other way around.

Picking the Right Company or Industry • Browse company websites! History, values and mission statement, current news. • Read Job Descriptions. • Have an open mind! Working for the right company may be more beneficial that having the right job. • Consider re-locating. The right opportunity may lead you to the ideal career path.

Career Search •Use at least 5 online resources •Use your contacts: Acquaintances, Professors, Classmates, Friends, Family. •Companies often have their own career website. •If you are interested in working in bigger cities, contact a recruiter!

Interviews Basics •Always dress in your most professional business attire •Know about the company. Have questions to ask that refer to your knowledge. •Make eye contact •Be prepared with the typical interview questions. Practice out loud.

Interview tips Bring references and at least 2 copies of your resume to the interview Do not be late or early Be confident yourself and enthusiastic about the opportunity Send a thank you email to your interviewers within 48 hours Trust your instincts!

~ Telephone Interviews ~ •Telephone interviews are like a first date. •Be comfortable, prepared and clear on appointment details •“Tell me about yourself.” • Don’t ramble

Takeaways • Take time to evaluate and establish your personal brand now • Be Authentic and honest! It’s easy to spot a fake • Don’t be afraid to adjust your personal brand. Self- realization is a necessary process • Maintain your personal brand and never stop networking.

Resources • http://www.careerealism.com/ • http://personalbrandingblog.com/ • Me 2.0 By Dan Schwabel • My Info • penner@uoregon.edu • penner.erika@gmail.com

Personal Branding

by margyparker on Mar 01, 2010

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Personal Branding — Presentation Transcript