Presented at Indiana Association for College Admission Counseling Spring Congress 2015. This presentation helps new professionals develop a personal brand by thinking about their values and goals and learning to better communicate their identity. Focus is on LinkedIn and About.me profiles as well.

1. Maximize Personal Branding and
Networking for Professional
Development Digitally
Will Patch
Assistant Director of Admissions and Social Media Coordinator
Manchester University

2. Brands
What is their brand purpose?
“At McDonald's, we strive to be more than just a
restaurant - we're a first job for many, a
community partner, a model for other
restaurants around the world, and a company
seeking new ways to fulfill our brand promise of
Quality, Service, Cleanliness, andValue.”

3. Brands
DonaldTrump
Attached to luxury, power, wealth in
excess.

4. What is a Personal Brand?
Your unique package of strengths, skills, and experiences.

5. A Personal Brand…
• Tells your compelling story
• Should show your authentic self
• Share your experience
• Is necessitated by anonymity of online personas

6. HowYou PortrayYourself Online Matters

7. Find the neutral zone
Share your accomplishments and knowledge
Don’t exaggerate
Don’t #HumbleBrag

8. Step 1: KnowYourself
• Know your values
• Know what you’re passionate about
• Know your strengths

9. Step 2:Your Story
• Step 1 was “who”
• What your vision of growth is
• Where you have been
• When - “Riding into the sunset” moment
• Why does this matter to you

10. Step 3:Verify
• Look over what you have and ask:
• Are my values and strengths authentic or aspirational?
• Is my story complete and compelling?

11. about.me
• Visual storytelling
• Personal branding site
• Aggregator
• Networking and mentoring
• Not a replacement for LinkedIn

12. • Use your story from Steps 1 and 2 and a photo to set up an account
• Backstory – can be filled in later, essentially your resumé
• Use the search bar to find similar interests, locations, jobs, or search by
name
• Find mentors or just learn more

13. Networking for Professional
Development

14. Traditional vs Digital Development
Digital
• Flexible and versatile
• Worldwide expertise
• Often free
Traditional
• Fixed
• Local and regional expertise
• Often expensive

15. They compliment each other!
Don’t hide behind a keyboard, but don’t ignore opportunities online either.

16. Active and Passive

17. Follow leaders in your areas of interest
Interact and ask questions
Participate inTwitter chats
Search hashtags

18. Suggested follows:
@iacacindy
@nacac
@Smartcolleges
@IHEadmissions
@chronicle
@insidehighered
@higheredlive

19. Use actively, interact with group discussions
Endorse others, but be honest
Post articles to start discussions and share ideas

20. Suggested groups
Chegg Social Admissions
College Admissions Experts
CollegeBound Experts
Council forAdvancement and Support of Education
Higher Education Management

21. Live video discussions
Podcasts
Various topics throughout higher ed each week

22. Journals
Passive
Keep updated on new trends and research
Find job opportunities

23. Professional Organizations
Network
Attend conferences
Learn from other professionals
Take advantage of mentorship
Get involved on committees

24. TakeThat First Step!

25. TakeThat First Step
• Connect with people you actually know first
• You can use LinkedIn to get introduced
• AboutMe – Can’t passively follow
• Be authentic and ask for thoughts or insights
• Ask questions, and follow up
• Groups, blogs,Twitter chats, and webcasts

26. Discuss!
What have you found most helpful in your development and networking?