Small Business Blog from Atlantic Canada

Did you know your personal brand is more important today than it was a decade ago? Whether your career is cantering at a rapid clip or has taken a momentary break, you need to diligently work on your brand. Just being good on your job is no longer enough. There are hundreds, if not thousands, who are doing the same thing that you are, some even better. What differentiates you from the rest?

Despite talent shortages businesses are working to weed out candidates with the right credentials, but the wrong personality. Why should a business hire you over the other individual? The answer lies in branding. But first let’s define personal branding. Essentially it is the value that others perceive you possess in your role in an organization. The best part is that like any other product, it is something that you can develop, shape and control.

Is personal branding needed?

Most job seekers are not proactive about establishing and developing their brand. Did you realize that one of the first things organizations and recruiters do is to search for you on the web? This is especially true for intermediate and senior positions.

Mark Stiles, VP and Founding Partner at Archway Search Consultant, Inc. says, “Some candidates we work with who are getting moved along to the short strokes with clients we certainly do our homework on. We have “Googled” them to see what they are doing and if there are any “red flags” for our clients. I would say that if we are looking for a java developer, I always like to see work they have done or extracurricular activities that they are involved in that will show me the type of person they are or their likes/dislikes, etc. This helps in selling the candidate to the client or even eliminating them as a candidate for a client if there is not the right fit!

Lisa DeYoung, Senior Associate with Talentworks, agrees. She says, “Say you are one of the three candidates that a business has shortlisted. Your online brand will make it easier (or harder) for you to get that offer letter. Businesses always like to see how well rounded your experiences have been; how you have represented yourself in the past. That compromising picture you or your friend made public on Facebook from the comfort of your home can be viewed by millions - and one of the millions could be a potential recruiter or employer.”

Few minutes of infamy online will no longer buried with time. Hint: The next time you search for something over the internet, try clicking on the cached link. Moreover, sites like archives.org provide a history of a site since inception. So if it is online and public, someone has a copy. Remember that the next time you put that compromising picture or video out there. Search engines do not guarantee anonymity in large numbers. Even if you have not posted them yourself, you might find yourself at the receiving end of gossip and rumors. You need to take steps to fix it or the axiom “Ruined for life” may apply to you.

Building your brand - The strategy

Brand building is not a one day exercise. It is a continuous process. It takes diligence and concentrated effort. You need a strategy - a vision. Here are some questions you need to answer right at the outset:

1. What talents and strengths do you want to be known for? (Positioning)
2. You are providing a service to those you hire you. In essence, your employer is your customer. So what is the profile of this customer? Why should this customer buy from you? And more importantly why should this customer pay a premium?

The answer to the first question will drive the answers to the second one. Do not undertake this exercise with levity. You cannot do it alone especially if you are student looking to get a good break. Take the help of professors, friends, peers and family who know you and can help you with an objective analysis.

Building your brand - Marketing

1. Realize that every step of your career path is marketing. Remember, I said Marketing - not Sales. There is a BIG difference in the two.
2. The 4 P’s of marketing also apply to you:
   1. Product: You. Position yourself. I have written about positioning in the past and am not going to regurtitae. What applies to businesses applies to individuals.
   2. Promotion: Resumes, cover letters, blogs, emails, networking, interviews; in short external communication with everyone. It becomes easier when you have a positioning statement. That way you will deliver a consistent message. And when you are cognizant of your position, you will drop that email address: “hotandsexy@hotmail.com” - not consistent with your positioning now, is it?
   3. Place: Networking events, mailers, phone calls, your website, LinkedIn, Facebook, etc. LinkedIn Q&A is a great forum to showcase your expertise. The Internet is a double edged sword. Information about you is in the public domain. Both Lisa and Mark agree that this is a very touchy area due to privacy issues. But as a candidate you need to exercise sound judgment. “Employers look at how you would exercise sound judgment and your online presence provides some clues to that”, says Lisa.
   4. Price: what you are worth. If you have done a good job at the positioning, you will find negotiating your salary and benefits a smooth process.
3. Next, keep abreast of the market conditions and the economy. If supply outstrips the demand for your career, you need to work harder to maintain your brand or adopt a new career. Many skills can be transferable to other jobs.
4. Being gainfully employed does not mean that you stop your brand building exercise. Go back to your strategy and assess your vision. Then keep marketing yourself. Continue to build your brand equity.

But what do you do if you find yourself at the end of unflattering information about you on the web? As an example, if the candidate was a great Java Developer and had interviewed well and references were great but they were going to a very conservative client. The fact that the candidate was involved in a “vampire club” might be a concern to the client, says Mark. How would you rectify that?

It will take a bit of time but this can be countered with positive buzz. Most people do not look beyond the first 30 results. Create new information about you that will get indexed by Google. Participate regularly on blogs and other interactive sites with positive information. The more information you write with your name, eventually the bad press will be bumped into page three and beyond. Another advantage is that now potential employers will hear your side of the story.

Summary

You cannot do anything about the fact that employers will Google you. So start taking action now and create that positive buzz:

1. Monitor your online presence regularly. Periodically conduct “vanity searches” and see what comes up.
2. Your personal brand is like life insurance. You never get it when you need it the most. The premiums are low if you start early. Do not wait to start when you need it the most. Start accumulating your brand equity now!
3. If you participate in social networks, be cognizant of what you put out there.
4. React to damaging content quickly and politely, but firmly.

The internet and the search engines are here to stay. Anonymity no longer exists whether you choose to participate online or not. But being proactive will enable to build and manage your brand effectively, thereby furthering your career. So the next time you expect to receive an offer letter but do not, it may be time to take a hard look at your strategy and ask yourself, “Are you targeting the right organizations to begin with?”