So you?re rockin? through business school. You snagged a pretty choice summer internship.? You probably have a Twitter account, a classy profile picture on a personal blog, upon which you will build a personal brand. Perhaps you?ve even consulted an internet marketing blog to learn a few new tricks for personal branding. Perhaps you have LinkedIn connections at an executive level, and so many Facebook friends you could start a small country. But do you know how to make all these platforms work to your advantage?
You may remember all the way back in 2008 when anyone could be a social media marketing expert and ?content was king.?? Well it?s a whole new world now.? Your grandmother is on Facebook, and your mom is tweeting like she has a 140 character quota to meet every twenty minutes.? They and the rest of the world is putting out a myriad of content by the second (a lot of it good), but is it doing anything but falling on deaf ears?
I?d like to propose that moving forward from today we no longer rely solely on content, but adopt a new phrase??coherence is king.?? When you begin looking for career jobs upon your graduation, potential employers will be examining your social media activities (I know we all know this by now).? So instead of thinking about everything you?re going to have to hide, why not begin creating a brand for yourself that will not only make you look like a decent individual but could also show off some of the stuff you learned with all these years in school.
As I?ve experimented with this over the last several years and observed friends? activities there are several things I?ve learned.? I?ve tried to condense these down into seven quick tips to help you maximize your intelligence, personality, and skills online and in person.
Do have a substantial social media presence ? At your young age, it is important to not only know what online media platforms are driving business, but to also become a part of that environment.? Get a Twitter profile.? Create an impressive resume on LinkedIn.? Interact with experts in the field. Post blog articles that are relevant and interesting.? Do whatever peaks your interest. All of these are opportunities for you to shape your own brand for others to see.
Don?t tweet, tweet, tweet, tweet, and tweet some more ? Just because you should be involved in these online communities does not mean that you need to be the loudest one there.? Think of it like a bird outside your window.? They?re pleasant when you hear them at a moderate volume every once in a while, but you begin to hate them when they start to live right outside you window and squawk as loud as they can.? Say things that are relevant. These things can be personal, professional, anecdotal, etc.? Just make sure you do it for reasons more than your compulsive need to tweet about yourself.
Do learn to dress well and present yourself - No, you don?t have to drop hundreds of dollars on a custom made Italian suit, but it is worth learning how to dress yourself.? For a little bit of money and effort, anyone can get a suit that fits them and is current.? No matter how brilliant you are, you probably shouldn?t show up for an interview in your father?s suit from 1992 (unless you?re an astro-physicist?then it probably won?t matter).? Pick up a copy of a practical fashion magazine like GQ and learn some tips on how to throw a suit together.? Additionally, always be confident (not cocky) when interacting with your superiors.? Confidence and competence are two things on which you can always capitalize.
Don?t represent yourself as someone you?re not - If you?re applying for an accounting position, don?t get an edgy designer to create an overly flashy/creative resume for you.? It?s not a representation of who you are, and an employer may think you are better-suited for creation than analysis.? It?s also important to talk about things that you actually know about. Don?t retweet articles about things you have no interest in or knowledge about.? You never know when an employer will be interested in something you tweeted only to find out you know nothing about it.? Also, you?re probably not a ?professional? or a ?guru? or an ?expert? at this point in your career.? Don?t refer to yourself as such in an online bio.? Never set yourself as something you can?t prove you are with experience and results.
Do value your skills, knowledge, and talents ? If you know you?re good, there are probably some unpaid internships you shouldn?t take.? If Google offers you an unpaid internship, yes definitely take it, but if your mom?s friend knows a guy who worked for a guy that probably would hire you to make his coffee for free? ? don?t do it.? It?s okay to turn down an offer if you do so politely and offer some sort of explanation.? You?ve invested a lot in your education.? It is certainly worth something.
Don?t burn bridges ? Never act as if you?re too good for a position or smarter than your boss (even if you are).? You never know who they may have roomed with in college or who their brother-in-law is.? One foolish comment or attitude problem could have serious ramifications later in your job search. Remember that everyone you come in contact with in your industry could be of help to you later.? It?s okay to disagree or hold another opinion, just be sure to do so politely and respectfully.
Do foster relationships with people ? You should always be networking. Follow up on Twitter or LinkedIn when you meet someone you were really impressed with.? Have lunches to get to know others in your industry. Initiate friendly banter online.? Don?t be afraid to approach someone in a position of power. They?ve been where you are, and most of them are going to want to help you out if you?re a competent, receptive individual.
Most importantly, be yourself ? If you?re an intelligent, hard-working student then you?re sure to get a job doing something you enjoy.? Following the above guidelines will only make that process quicker and hopefully much more enjoyable for you.? Remember, you?re not just looking for something to put money in your bank account for the rest of your life; you?re preparing to enter into something you?re passionate about and will be a major part of your life for decades to come.
I have seen many opportunities for conversation offline in recent months because of things I have blogged about or tweeted.? Never underestimate the power of a unified social media presence in your job search.? Make sure it is always reflecting who you are as a person, because it is you being hired, not your Facebook profile.
Source: http://bschool.pepperdine.edu/studentblog/2011/05/7-dos-and-donts-for-branding-yourself-online/
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