The document discusses how individuals can curate and brand themselves through social media to advance their careers. It emphasizes that developing an online presence through platforms like Twitter, blogs, and LinkedIn can help showcase expertise and skills to potential employers. Some key recommendations include creating consistent, relevant online profiles; using social media to actively engage with companies in your field; and establishing yourself as a helpful resource through answering questions and sharing content. The document also warns of potential risks if inappropriate or unprofessional content is posted that could damage one's personal brand.

1. Curating Your Life
Career : Social Media : Branding

2. “We are all
individuals,
but unless we
are also a
brand, our
individuality
will be
invisible.”1

3. “It’s a fact: the rest of the world isn’t paying nearly as much attention to you as you’d like. You’ve spent the past few
years developing new skills and capabilities — yet your employer and colleagues are oblivious. The only way you can
demonstrate your new expertise to a broad audience — one that might want to hire you, in fact — is to brand yourself
as a public expert, just like a candidate for office would. Online, create a stream of valuable content by tweeting,
blogging, and being quoted by media outlets. Offline, cultivate your reputation through involvement in professional
associations, public speaking, and networking” 5

4. Self Branding: “Being a
brand means showcasing that
which makes you special, in a
way that is distinctive
(recognizable), predictable
(consistent), and meaningful (it
allows others to understand
what you do and why).” 1

5. Entrepreneurship: “It is about being a change agent; change agents are signals, everyone else
is noise. If you are not bringing growth, you are replaceable and recyclable” 1

6. Hyper connectivity: “In the era of information overload, being a trustworthy source of
information is a rare commodity- it is the digital equivalent of being an intellectual and the latest
state in the evolution of marketing.” 1

7. Create Relevant Profiles: “These profiles would demonstrate not only what you’ve
accomplished, but where your strengths are and what you can offer future employers.” 2

8. “Use the 'mother' test
If you wouldn't want
your mother to see it,
don't post it.
Inappropriate photos and
foul language can all be
red flags for employers.” 6

9. “60% of employers use social networks to research job applicants.” 3

10. “30% of employers want to see what other people are posting about the
candidate” 3

11. “ 40% of employers are less likely to interview job candidates if
they are unable to find online information.” 3

12. Search for Jobs:
“Improve the odds in
your favour by
looking for jobs on
company twitter
feeds, on their
Facebook pages, and
in LinkedIn groups.” 2

13. Make a Plan: “It’s important to have a game plan in mind when you use
these sites as part of a job search.” 2

14. Don’t Ask For a Job: “Keep your name in front of people in
a position to help your career.” 2

15. Be Engaged: “Use social media to follow companies of
interest and receive updates.” 2

16. Network: “Build your social capital by becoming known as a
source for provocative content.” 2

17. Be Known as a
Resource:
“Help out
others by
answering
questions,
making
introductions,
and linking to
provocative
content.” 2

18. “In the nearer future, Internet searches for images are likely to be combined with social-network aggregator search engines, like
today’s Spokeo and Pipl, which combine data from online sources — including political contributions, blog posts, YouTube videos,
Web comments, real estate listings and photo albums. Increasingly these aggregator sites will rank people’s public and private
reputations, like the new Web site Unvarnished, a reputation marketplace where people can write anonymous reviews about
anyone.”7

19. “After recruiters and job seekers find each other over twitter, more traditional means of hiring
usually take over: candidates may tweet a link to a resume or a more complete social media
profile, followed by phone or in-person interviews”4

20. The Digital You
“Behave consistently in social media and you will be building your personal brand
in the process -- post by post, picture by picture, moment-by-moment.” 8

21. References
1. Chamorro- Premuzic, Thomas. We are All Individuals, But Unless We are Also A Brand, Our Individuality Will Be
Invisible. Harvard Business Review. January, 01, 2013. e-reserves.
3. Brooks, Chad. Social Screening: What Hiring Managers Look for on Social Media. Business News Daily. Chicago. May
11, 2016. Web. http://www.businessnewsdaily.com/2377-social-media-hiring.html
2. Schepp, Brad. 7 Ways to Use Social Media to Land a Job. Forbes Media. Web.
https://www.forbes.com/pictures/efkk45ehmek/7-ways-to-use-social-media-to-land-a-job/#254f70b16ed1
4. Silverman, Rachel Emma, Lauren Weber. The New Resume: It’s 140 Characters; Some Recruiters, Job
Seekers Turn to Twitter, but Format is a Challenge; Six Second Video Goes Viral. Wall Street Journal Online.
New York. April 9, 2013. e-reserves.
5. Clark, Dorie. It’s Not a Job Search, It’s a Permanent Campaign. Harvard Business Review. March 28, 2012. e-
reserves.

22. 6. Bowness, Suzanne. Making the most of Social Media: Having an Professional, Vibrant, Online Presence is Crucial
When Searching for a New Position. The Globe and Mail. Toronto. January 11, 2013. e-reserves.
7. Rosen, Jeffery. The Web Means the End of Forgetting. The New York Times. July 21, 2010. e-reserves.
8. Joseph, Jim. Build Your Personal Brand on Social Media. Entrepreneur Media. June 25, 2014. Web.
https://www.entrepreneur.com/article/235073
9. Matrix, Sidneyeve. Designing Flipbooks Webinar. May 16, 2017. Queens University. Web.
10. Pixabay Images. CC0 Public Domain. Free for Commercial Use. No Attribution Required. June, 2017. Web.
https://pixabay.com/