Your Personal Brand from Theory to Execution - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career

Your Personal Brand from Theory to Execution - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career It used to be that hiring was limited to who’s local and available. But the advent of the Internet and social media has really made the world smaller and more at reach. Social media has changed the way people see brands, and it has changed the way people promote and market their personal brand. Going on a personal brand communication plan can be challenging and requires planning. You need to know your strategy step by step before executing them. It is not wise to simply jump into the game without having any idea what you really want to achieve. Important to that is the foundation â€" what is your personal brand? Define your personal brand First, it’s about getting to know yourself and what you’re all about. What do you want? What are your goals and objectives? What are your passions? What are you great at? What do you want to achieve? Once you’ve determined these things, you can really start getting a concrete impression of what your personal brand is about and communicating this to others. The values and ethics you carry with you are just as important. You want your audience to align themselves with your brand and vision. The more your audience is able to relate with you, the better for your brand. Establish relationships The relationships you have with other people also define your personal brand. No man is an island, and you really can’t survive in the real world without having any connections or doing any networking. You know what they say: It’s not what you know, but who you know. One of the keys to a successful brand is to establish mutually beneficial relationships with others. And you really have to own these relationships â€" make sure that you always give your hundred percent to all the things you do, so that no one can ever say that you aren’t doing enough. And try to avoid sending a representative on your behalf â€" make sure that you always have the time to network and connect with people yourself. Utilize social media Social media is currently the most popular tool for promoting and marketing your brand, which is why the term “social marketing” has become so popular. But always remember that you shouldn’t use it simply as a marketing tool â€" “social” is basically for connecting and engaging with your audience, not simply selling them your products or services. And though content may help you engage your audience, remember that people continue to enjoy interacting with a real person, not a nameless, faceless creature. If you manage a Facebook page, for example, ensure that the people who interact with you there know who they’re interacting with. You want them to picture a face behind the brand, a real person, someone who considers them and cares about what they think. Make your interactions more personal. Share tidbits of your personal life with them so they can relate with your personal brand. Learn more about your audience and do your best to help them as much as possible. Go the extra mile for your customers, clients or boss. Offer value When you provide value, you’re seen as a resource. This is a much more viral tone than a sales-y one that’s constantly pitching and barking offers. There is a thin line between marketing your brand and pushing your brand down people’s throats. If you’re just looking to sell your products and services every single day, then you’re better off using other marketing platforms and not social media. Social is about engagement. Maybe you can mix in a bit of marketing and promotions, but the main thing you should be doing in social media platforms is talking, connecting, engaging and responding to your followers. Listen to them, help them with their problems, and build a mutually satisfying relationship. Don’t be a brand who’s only determined to sell â€" be the brand who cares about others first. Personal branding and social marketing Utilizing social media for your personal brand is definitely an excellent idea, but don’t just jump head first into your personal brand communication campaign. Make sure you plan ahead, and remember that social continues to be about engagement and connecting. Author: Maria Elena Duron, is managing editor of the Personal Branding Blog, CEO (chief engagement officer) of  buzz2bucks.com  â€"  a word of mouth marketing firm.   She helps create conversation, connection, credibility, community and commerce around your brand.   Maria Duron is co-founder   and moderator of  #brandchat   a weekly Twitter chat focused on every aspect of branding that is recognized by Mashable as one the 15 Essential Twitter Chats for Social Media Marketers.

How to Write a Cover Letter: Follow These Easy Steps

How to Write a Cover Letter: Follow These Easy StepsMany people look at the phrase 'how to write a cover letter' and think it is something they have to know before they apply for jobs. As a matter of fact, writing a cover letter can be as simple as making sure your personal information is correct and punctuation is correct. If you follow these tips when you are creating your own cover letter, you will save yourself some time and money.When people go through a search for jobs, the first thing they do is do a search on 'how to write a cover letter'. It is important that they are able to write a good one as a first impression is very important. Once you get this initial written introduction from your resume, the rest of the process is pretty much up to you. However, keep in mind that if the job does not come, your written letter will.Before you even start interviewing, you should have a general idea of what kind of expectations your potential employer has for the first interview. As muc h as possible, avoid listing all of your qualifications. Instead, list only the points that you feel would be important to the company. This will help your cover letter stand out from other applicants who only include the qualifications that the company requires.There are a lot of different job descriptions on offer. This means that a cover letter is going to need to be created for each job opening. This is the same for both internal and external positions. As a result, you want to make sure that you have your letter finished in advance of the interview. You do not want to start off a cover letter and have it look terrible.You want to make sure that you understand how long an interview will take. Although some interviews are short, others are long. The length of time varies greatly and may be as little as thirty minutes or as long as two hours. As long as you understand the time required, you will be able to outline your meeting in such a way that it is easier for you to remember.As soon as you are informed of the interview date, you should send an email to your reference number to ask how you should prepare for the interview. For example, if it is an internal position, you could send a long thank you note to the hiring manager as well as a letter to them explaining why you are great for the job. On the other hand, if it is an external position, you could ask to call and discuss the role you will be applying for.After you get your interview, it is imperative that you follow up with your cover letter. Make sure you send your thank you notes as soon as possible. As soon as the interview is over, send a follow up email stating that you have received an interview request and that you are happy to review the application. Make sure you send a cover letter in response to the follow up email.Following these simple steps will allow you to write a cover letter in a timely manner. In addition, you will be doing your best to get the job.

Motivation Monday A Reminder, Push Pick-Me-Up

Motivation Monday A Reminder, Push Pick-Me-Up Sometimes we all need a little push, pick-me-up, or reminderthats what todays post is about. Job search is a tedious process.  It often requires you do things you dont like to do- like  forcing you to look deep inside to evaluate your motivation and assets, talk to people, step out of your comfort-zone and more. This week, lets do this job search thing better! Reminder: Networking Is About Building Relationships Networking is the most important job search activity yet most people despise the concept. Networking is about learning about other people. It is about learning new things, acquiring information and being a good listener. (Read why  networking really isnt a waste of time and how to do it right!) Yes, you must be able to summarize who you are and what you do! (Thats your pitch) And yes, you do need to have a purpose for meeting with people during informational meetings (networking meetings). Networking is a long-term strategy, so dont expect to see immediate results. Push: Try New Ways of Networking In order to have success networking, you have to stick with it! Dont fall back on your old ways of blindly applying for jobs as your primary job search activity. Find ways to network more comfortably! Use LinkedIn to search and find people to network with.  Try using Twitter. If you are on Facebook, try using it to let your Friends know you are still searching for your next gig. You do not need to go to networking groups. Networking is best done as a one-on-one activity. If you are an introvert, try the tips in this post. ALWAYS Use the Two-Step method when you apply for a job. ALWAYS! When you find a job, search your network, tell your friends, and find multiple people who work inside the company with the job posting so you can be referred for the job. Is this difficult? Yep. But, it isnt impossible. Pick-Me-Up: Rejection Is A Learning Opportunity If you take each rejection as a personal attack, it will destroy your self-confidence. Youve gotta stop this. A rejection can mean many things: your skills arent the right mix. Your personality wouldnt fit with the team. The company doesnt see how your resume fits the job. These reasons are not personally rejecting you. Honestly, you dont want to work in a job you dont have the skills for. You dont want to work on a team where you dont fit in. Likewise, you dont want to feel you arent able to give all you can. So, instead of feeling rejected, be relieved. OR, embark on the difficult task of analyzing what you could do better to make sure your skills and personality are the right fit. It is up to you to clearly communicate this. And when youve done your research about the company, people on the team etc., you will be better at presenting yourself as a fit and better at assessing whether to job really is a fit for you during the interview.

Overachievers Can You Hurt Your Career - Pathfinder Careers

Overachievers Can You Hurt Your Career - Pathfinder Careers Overachievers: Can You Hurt Your Career? Overachievers exist everywhere. They are usually Type A people who usually can’t say no to anything. Their résumés read like a novel, and they usually exude boundless energy as they immediately raise their hand to volunteer.  A lot. These people are usually in a very involved role in their work, but what makes them overachieve is when they also take on other roles for volunteer organizations outside of the office that end up demanding a huge amount of time as well. As a career management coach, I very much advocate for people to be involved outside the 4 walls of their cube or office. It’s a great way to build powerful network connections and for people to get to know how you work, which can help refer job opportunities your way in the future. But things can get pretty hairy quickly when the overachiever takes on more than they can bite. Here are some signs that it is time that overachievers need to tone it down: You get stressed out. It’s not easy being everything to everyone, and it causes a lot of stress to keep having to keep all of these balls up in the air. Stress is a byproduct of being considered one of the overachievers, and while some people can handle it well, others do not. Be aware of where you fall in that category. You don’t have any time for yourself in order to recharge. You’ll find that time is being spent on all the projects and as your energy wears down, you start to feel worn out and possibly resentful for taking so much on. You need your recharge time so you can do what you do best! Work life balance is a must. You make mistakes. Being tired and distracted means you are not doing the best job possible and errors tend to happen in this matrix. And that does not bode well for your career. You end up being a mile wide and an inch deep. Stretching oneself too thin is something that overachievers struggle with. If you aren’t doing anything particularly well, it’s time to snap back into what you do excel in so you can perform at your best. If you are too good at what you do, it can cause resentment among colleagues and peers. If your name is constantly being mentioned in staff meetings and you are the one person who usually gets all the awards, it might be time to back it off a bit. You’ve arrived, you’ve done good, and now it is time to step back so others have an opportunity to be noticed too. You get distracted / conflicted about what is important. Competing priorities will tug at you every which way and sometimes, you can decide that the wrong thing takes precedence. It is sometimes very difficult for overachievers to really see the big picture when a million things are demanding their attention. If you fall under the description of the overachievers category, it’s time to take a breath, reset, and re-prioritize. And chances are if you are at this point in your career, you’ve already proven yourself anyway. So be kinder to yourself. Your stress level and career will thank you.

Five Ways You Can Nail Your Winter Job Hunt

Five Ways You Can Nail Your Winter Job Hunt It can be very tempting to shut down, or slow down, your job search during the winter months. When you get caught up in the holiday season, it can seem like you just don’t have enough time to put the effort you need into searching for your perfect job. However, companies generally do not stop hiring just because it’s the holidays, so now is not the time for you to stop creating perfect resumes that get you hired. Here are five things to keep in mind while you are on your job hunt. 1. Use Social Events to Your Advantage You don’t have to rely solely on professional networking events in order to make business connections. Any conversation could lead to work-related topics, so you always need to have a professional mindset to be ready if the opportunity arises. Don’t discount the people you know, from casual friends to industry colleagues. You never know where a conversation could lead, and who your associates might know. 2. Reacquaint Yourself With Contacts Go through your list of contacts and get in touch with people you may not have spoken to in a while. This could include friends, family and former co-workers. Catch up with them and let them know you are looking for a job. They might be able to help put you in touch with someone they know. Again, the power of networking is phenomenal. While it’s easy to underestimate the people you know on a less-than-professional basis, you never want to brush them off completely. 3. Commit to Your Job Search The winter months can make it difficult to get motivated. The gray, gloomy days can take the drive out of networking or job searching. To stay committed and motivated, try visiting one of the top rated resume writing services. You just might find the motivation you need to keep moving if you’re able to craft a few quality resumes that get you hired. At the very least, you may receive some important advice toward your resume or other qualifying documents that will aid you as you continue your job search later on. 4. Get Direct As you’ve navigated your job search, you’ve likely often wondered, “How do I create the most effective executive resume?” However, the key to landing a great new job involves far more than just drawing up an excellent resume! You’ve spent so long in your industry that you undoubtedly have quite a few powerful connections under your belt. Use them to get directly in touch with the people in charge of the companies you’re hoping to work for! Getting in touch with an executive for the company is a great way of proving your initiative, which employers like to see. This may very well work in your favor in other ways, as most people slow down their job hunting during holiday months and research shows nearly half of people who’ve reached out to hiring managers and other executives managed to get the job. 5. Broaden Your Perspectives Don’t limit yourself to only certain jobs when you’re on your search. At the same time, you also don’t want to apply to just any job. While the vast majority of executive positions are highly specialized, the skills involved can easily carry over into other positions that could fit you just as well. Finding a good balance is key when you’re on your winter job search. You could visit some top rated resume services to help tailor your resume to your different skill sets. That way it will be more targeted to the particular position you’re applying for. Your winter job hunt shouldn’t slow down around the holidays. If you’re stuck in a rut and are having a hard time getting motivated, feel free to reach out to us at any time.

Chapter 18:2 Writing a Cover Letter and Preparing a Resume

Chapter 18:2 Writing a Cover Letter and Preparing a ResumeIn the past, when it came to writing a cover letter and preparing a resume, most people either ignored the whole process or just put a smile on their face whenever they saw the contents of the application. Today, with the advent of technology and internet, more job seekers are choosing to be online. And this is not really surprising considering that it is the trend of the day.The Internet also has a role to play in preparing a resume. Most job seekers prefer to have one of these on their computer screen. They simply need to glance at it to know how they look like.When it comes to preparing a resume, the better you do the better are you going to be able to find the right target market and the right job for you. And while it may seem like this should be easy, it actually does not. Sometimes, it is just not that easy.The other day, I was listening to an interview and heard the interviewee talking about what he does and I had the chance to ask him what the process of preparing a resume used to be in the old way. He said that people used to go through what they had written as well as what they did not have. Nowadays, the easiest thing to do is just to go online and search for a list of job openings.Although, you might have to pay a little bit for it, it is definitely still cheaper than going back to the old school. Besides, all it takes is a couple of minutes.Then again, if you really want to save time, just go ahead and do it the old way. If it makes you feel better, the same applies to anything else that you may do.For job seekers, being online is the best thing ever. The only thing is that not everyone does it because the costs are too high. It just makes sense if you can save time and money with the help of the internet.

How to List Major and Minor on Resume Can Be Fun for Everyone

How to List Major and Minor on Resume Can Be Fun for Everyone Employers know about the chronological format and frequently prefer it. If you're not, it's a Top Ten Worst major. The communication field has a good range of employment. For instance, a Human Resources Management student is an excellent candidate for an HR position. It's simple to distinguish a significant chord from a minor one. The important thing is to guarantee clean formatting and effortless readability. Adhere to the directions below to earn a shift. Show what you've achieved and exceptional contributions you have made. You may offer a concise description of accomplishments and duties for each. It's fast and simple to use. Be open to possibilities you might not have previously considered. You could have a love of music and want to translate it into a career. Developing a portfolio to take on interviews offers you the chance to clearly show your liberal-arts skills in a really tangible way. The Rel igious Studies minor may be utilized in lieu of a cognate for students that are seeking majors in different departments. Whether there are any distinctive projects done on the topic, they are sometimes attached with the resume. Look at including a lower GPA if you're in an extremely challenging program. High school students may list your high school and present GPA. There's some debate over whether it ought to be included or not. If you're applying to a position in another nation, learn what the resume expectations are for that nation. Resume guidelines may change from industry to industry, therefore it's wise to get familiar with specific industry examples. A big triad comprises key third plus a minor third built in addition to it. Our aim is to offer a useful resource for students that are unsure about which major is the very best selection for them financially, professionally and personally. List the amount of events you planned, the variety of articles you wrote or the sum of money you raised. If you're not quite certain what you would like to do, seek assistance from your school's career center. Some employers just hire fantastic men and women no matter degree. Your major is defined as the particular field of study you decide to concentrate on in college. A minor is a less intensive plan of study that's secondary to the big designation. Your minor is defined as a secondary field of study that it is possible to choose to concentrate on in college. Don't forget, looking good on paper is simply step one. No matter if you're seeking your very first full-time position or whether you're ready to move forward from your present setting, it's so important that you're able to put your very best face forward and make a great impression. The very best placement is dependent on what you're attempting to emphasize. A minor is frequently a fantastic bit of relevant info, especially whenever your minor is linked to the job for which you're applying. How to List Major and Minor on Resume - the Conspiracy Finance positions are a few of the most popular jobs on the planet. Few jobs are beyond the range of a liberal-arts grad. Employers want to learn what you would like to do, and the more focused you're, the simpler it is going to be to land work. Think about your assets and the assets they are looking for.