Build Your Brand Before Starting A Job Search

by Margo Rose



I met Debbie on Twitter @DebbieLaskeyMBA She wrote this wonderful post that will help you build your job search brand. She offers great advice. I now give you Debbie Laskey.
Build Your Brand before Starting a Job Search

If you no longer feel challenged by your current job or just want to make a change, you should feel inspired to look for a new opportunity. Give your two week or four week notice, make sure to leave project instructions for your replacement or supervisor, and you may think you’re ready to move on. But wait, before you throw your hat into the job search pool, you need to build your personal brand.

In the words of David McNally and Karl D. Speak, “Everyone has a brand, and anyone can be a strong brand. It doesn’t involve changing your personality – you can be an introvert or extrovert…A personal brand is a perception or emotion, maintained by somebody other than you, that describes your outstanding qualities and influences that person’s relationship with you.”

Thanks to social media, you have all the tools necessary to define your brand, pitch yourself as an expert in your field, and become the best candidate available. Here are my “Top Five” tips for building your personal brand:

[1] Determine what you want your brand to be called – it may be your full name or it may be a portion of your first or last name with your specialty included, but whatever you choose, always be consistent in using this brand name on all social media sites (Hint: you can check if your chosen brand name is available on hundreds of sites with http://knowem.com)

[2] Create a mission statement to clarify your professional goals and keep a list of your key strengths and accomplishments up-to-date

[3] Establish a professional profile on LinkedIn: a good profile includes a professional photo, titles of previous and current positions with overviews of your responsibilities and highlights of accomplishments for each position, recommendations from supervisors and co-workers, degrees, certificates, list of key skills, groups, applications, etc.

Tips 4 - 5 and complete HireFriday article


GUEST POST BY DEBBIE LASKEY, MBA
Debbie Laskey has 15 years of marketing experience and an MBA Degree. She developed her marketing expertise while working in the high-tech industry, the Consumer Marketing Department at Disneyland Paris in France, the non-profit arena, and the insurance industry. Currently, Debbie is a brand marketing, social media, and employee engagement consultant to small businesses, start-ups, and non-profits in California. Recognized as a “Woman Making a Difference” by the Los Angeles Business Journal, Debbie has served as a judge for the Web Marketing Association’s annual web award competition since 2002. Follow Debbie on Twitter (http://www.twitter.com/DebbieLaskeyMBA) and on her Blog (http://debbielaskey.blogspot