1. You Inc.: Advising
Students to Pursue Their
Passion Through the Power
of Personal Branding
Richard Kane, Family and Consumer Sciences
Melissa Moody, Mennonite College of Nursing
Illinois State University
NACADA Region V Conference
April 19, 2011

2. Description of the Problem
► Traditional methods of finding a job or internship
are no longer viable
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 Submitting resume and cover letter to newspaper adds
and corporate job/HR sites
 Crossing your fingers for a call back
100% anonymous job search that is fiercely competitive
and time consuming
Traditional methods relegate students to becoming passive
participants in job search
Social media is quickly replacing traditional job search

3. Accessing the “Hidden Job
Market”
►
Often overwhelmed by other duties, hiring managers often
skirt advertising jobs to avoid
 Difficult recruitment processes
 The stampede of applicants
 Unproductive reviews of generic resumes
►
Instead, hiring managers today use
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Referrals
Professional associations
Social networking
Many of the best opportunities are found in this “hidden job
market,” accessible only through social networks

4. Meeting the Need through Personal
Branding
► Personal branding is the new prerequisite
for
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Proactive career success
Entrepreneurial success
Differentiating competencies
Demonstrating unique personal characteristics

5. Nuts and Bolts of Personal
Branding
► LinkedIn
► Facebook
► Twitter
► Blogs
► Personal Web site
► Digital portfolio
► Video resume

6. Elements of a Strong Personal
Brand
► Makes a great first impression
► Compels the market (audience)
► Consistent across social media platforms
► Well known in it’s niche
► Transparent
► Collaborative
► Authentic

7. Building your brand starts with
your bio
► The need for an effective bio is NEW
► Bio attracts target audience
► Craft an authentic story to draw your
audience into a relationship with you
 Authenticity requires digging deep to uncover
the real you

8. Michael Margolis- Dean
Story University
►
The son of an inventor and artist, I am fascinated by how ideas socialize into reality. As President of Get Storied, I
oversee a growing education/publishing platform that includes Story University, Reinvention Summit, and The New
Storytellers. I spend most of my time these days developing online courses for Story University and spreading the
gospel of story.
Over the last decade, I have promoted the evolving role of storytelling at the heart of branding, innovation, and culture
change. In the process, I consulted to dozens of organizations including Audubon, Ernst & Young, Marriott, NASA,
Omnicom, YWCA, and the International Storytelling Center. In November 2010, I launched and curated the
Reinvention Summit, a 2-week virtual conference on the future of storytelling, with 37 speakers and 500+ participants.
I'm also working with Zappos Insights on their next generation culture training curriculum.
Despite an unconventional approach, my work has been featured in Brandweek, Fast Company, and Storytelling
Magazine. I am also a contributing author to Wake Me When When the Data is Over, a leading compendium on
strategic storytelling (Jossey-Bass 2006), and guest blogger for websites including PSFK.com. With a background in
cultural anthropology, I am fascinated with identity, relationships, perception, and meaning making in the digital age. I
began my career as a social entrepreneur, the founding member of two social enterprises by the age of 23. Raised in
Switzerland and Los Angeles, I now live in the East Village of NYC. When not working double-shifts, I geek-out on
technology, 70s ghetto funk, and Indian spices. I also eat more chocolate than the average human.
Thousands have downloaded a free digital copy of my latest book, Believe Me: A Storytelling Manifesto for ChangeMakers and Innovators at www.getstoried.com.
Let me know what you think! Would love to talk story

9. Elements of a successful bio
 Has a lead sentence that reflects
►Who you are
►What you do
►Who you serve
 Uses narrative to create a unique, memorable
and accurate first impression of your brand

10. Using your past to legitimize your
future
 Students should start by answering this basic
question, “who is the real me?”
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What are your influences?
What forces shaped you?
What makes me special?
What do people in my network think is special about me?
Have I ever been complimented for a skill or talent?
Is there something I do well and am passionate about?
What achievements am I proud of?

11. Role of your bio
► Tone – sets the terms of a relationship
► Context – what has shaped you
► Credibility – can I believe you
► Cultivation – educate your reader
► Invitation – establish shared bonds

12. Personal Branding Learning
Outcomes
► Personal branding teaches students
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Creativity
Writing skills
Coaching skills
Leadership skills
Communication skills
Motivation skills
Sales and negotiation skills
Cutting-edge marketing and PR skills

13. Student Branding: benefits to your
institution
► Heightened professionalism reflects well on
their school
► Accelerated professional growth means
alumni become potential donors more
quickly
► Alumni who are successful personal
branders cast authenticity and recruit others
into a relationship with the school

14. Why Student Should Begin
Building Their Brands Early
► The principle of compound interest applies
easily to personal branding
 Just as with a personal savings nest, a personal
brand must be built before it can be used
► Freshmen can begin to network for
internships required when they are seniors

15. Example student: Greg de Lima
► Started personal branding as a freshman
► http://twitter.com/gregdelima
http://facebook.com/gregdelima
http://linkedin.com/in/gregdelima
http://gregdelima.com

16. Connect with us
► http://www.linkedin.com/in/richardfkane
► http://coverbrazil.posterous.com/
► http://www.facebook.com/rfkane
► http://twitter.com/CoverBrazil
► http://fcs.illinoisstate.edu/profiles/default.asp
x?q=BM200709130004
► http://www.linkedin.com/in/melissakmoody
► http://twitter.com/mmoody70