Using the Internet to Build Your Personal Brand

March 13, 2011 by Daniel Sharkov|

We live in a world of noise and competition, one that is still healing from a recession, and one of incredible change and opportunity. When going about our daily lives and striving for success, we often subscribe to traditional means of personal promotion. Though that may often be satisfactory, we must remember that the competition’s drum always beats louder. How can we set ourselves apart?

Resumes and interviews are great but they only scratch the surface. A single sheet of paper and a half an hour interview is simply not enough to understand someone and all of their complexity. If you’re an employer looking to hire someone that will be apart of your business, shouldn’t you want to know more?

If you plan on investing money, time, and most of your resources into that person, I hope the answer is a confident yes. The problem arises however, how do you communicate who you really are with those constraints? You simply can’t. This is why your personal brand is critical and will continue to be moving forward. Stay ahead of the curve and start branding yourself now.

So what is your personal brand? Well it could mean a lot of things but I tend to think of it as a window into a person’s heart and mind. An opportunity to learn their passions, beliefs, and ideas. Resumes and half hour interviews are simply forms of weeding the unwanted out. If you have managed to fall into the coveted “yes” pile, then you need to somehow separate yourself once again. This is where building a personal brand will help you immensely.

A traditional brand carries ideology, missions, stories and images; a personal brand is no different. We must be willing to showcase ourselves and what easier way to do it than online using social media?

Social media has revolutionized our world and it gives you the tools you need often for free. Having a blog , Twitter account, Flickr page, and/or any other social media profile lets you communicate who you really are in a different light. Depending on what you want to communicate, you may want to consider a few social media sites.

Blogs

Probably your best asset out of the bunch. With tons of customizable templates and platforms, you really can’t go wrong. I personally use WordPress but Tumblr and Blogger are also solid options. With a blog you can easily communicate who you are. Think of it as your living, breathing, adaptive, and always current resume. Have thoughts on the economy or international affairs? This might be a good time to show off your macro and micro observational skills. Went on a trip to Spain recently? An internationally cultured team member is always a plus, let them know what great addition you could be! All in all, blogs are the most in depth and will help bring your resume to life. The arguments and observations you make on your blog can be crucial indicators when employers are looking to find workers that match the company’s culture. Before the interview, potential employers will have a good sense of the type of character you bring to the table.

Twitter

The benefits are almost identical to the blog but as you can imagine they are simply communicated in smaller doses at a more frequent pace. Using Twitter in conjunction with a blog helps paint a beautiful picture of the type of person you are not to mention promote your posts. As they say, links are the soul of the Internet, it’s no different for your online personal brand.

Other Social Media Sites

Depending on the nature of your career and passions, other social media sites can be appropriate. Are you a graphic designer or a photographer? Flickr is the perfect addition to your ensemble. MySpace or BandCamp are good for musicians and Quora or TED is ideal for the thinkers out there. Put a nice bow on it and create a profile on LinkedIn , this will help aggregate yourself professionally and make it easy for the potential employers to find and discover you and your personal brand.

Overall, the personal brand will be critical moving forward. Use the Internet to your advantage and illustrate the kind of person you are. Are you creative? Have a technological side? A closet economics buff? Having yourself out there makes future opportunities more available and networking simple. Help companies make sure they are picking the right person and have a personality before you walk into the door. Who knows, you may gain an audience in the process! Go forth and brand!

Dan Fonsecais currently a Communications student at Northeastern University in Boston and writes his very own blog Synapses. He enjoys thinking about the bigger picture and looks to bring people together in anyway he can. Dan loves his brie and sushi too. Oh yeah, he’s also proud to be from New Jersey so watch what you say You can find him on all his social media sites here. How’s that for a personal brand?

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