Yes, you read that correctly. Personal branding can help you find a job. Not only that; it can actually change the game for you. It can help you become so visible online and offline that potential employers actually approach you.
As a tool, personal branding doesn't cost a fortune. What you will need is time, patience, consistency and creativity, which are all learnable and respectively manageable.
Here is how you can make personal branding work for you in your job search.
1. Change your way of thinking and acting.
You are not a passive victim in the job search process. Don't write and rewrite your CV and then wait, hoping that someone might get back to you. Become the creator of your own circumstances instead.
Writing CVs is a time-consuming, inefficient, outdated approach. Experiment with new, unconventional job-search strategies – strategies that allow people to find you. Creating great, value-adding content on social media, attending all sorts of events or doing pro bono work are just some of many examples.
Do things to be seen, to prove your expertise and to stand out – online and offline.
2. Determine how you want to position yourself.
Do some research, read and talk to other people to figure out which industry, field or company size is best suited for you. In the end, this is based on your values and interests. If you're unsure, ask your friends and former colleagues what makes you stand out in comparison to a potential co-worker with a similar educational background and skill set. This exercise is a game-changer.
Lastly, don't make the mistake of saying that you want “a job" or that you are looking for “any job." That will not help anybody. In a “perfect” world, where would you work? What would you do on a daily basis, and why would you do that? Do you want to work with people, or do you prefer analyzing data?
Get clear on who you are and what you want. It will be so much easier for yourself and for others when you know what you are good at and where you want to work.
3. Polish your online presence.
People Google you, no matter if you meet them for coffee for the first time or if you apply for jobs. Put yourself in the shoes of a potential employer: Your reputation would have a direct effect on their reputation, right? So, make sure that your social media content does not insult other people, and that you do not gossip, nag or complain. Avoiding topics like religion, sex and politics also might be a good idea.
Furthermore, updating your LinkedIn profile is an absolute must. LinkedIn is the world’s biggest professional social networking platform. It's a place where people learn, get to know new people, do business, find clients and jobs, and build their personal brands. Not having a LinkedIn profile in 2019 sends out the wrong signal. It doesn't help you design a positive first impression.
4. Impress people with the way you look.
When was the last time you took a proper look at your outward appearance? When you walk around with old, outdated clothing, ungroomed fingernails and a negative facial expression, the first impression you create might not be the best one.
Remember, companies, in the end, are people. And people want to spend time with great, approachable people. What can you do to come across more approachable?
I am not asking you to turn into a fashionista or into the incarnation of happiness, but I am asking you to reflect on whether you would hire yourself if you saw yourself for the first time. If the answer is no, what do you have to change?
If you know a friend who always looks well-groomed and/or content, invite them out for lunch and learn how they start their day, how they dress, how they groom, etc.
5. Network strategically.
You radically increase your chances of hearing about a vacancy the more diverse your social network is, which means that you need to go out and invest in your relationships and social ties and in people. Help others. Give them your full attention. Maintain your relationships, and regularly find ways to expand your social network, perhaps by attending networking events or joining sports clubs or non-profit initiatives.
If people really like you – if you can fascinate them with your positive thinking, kindness and skills – they will even create jobs for you. So, keep on investing in yourself. Keep on reading books that expand your mind and becoming one step better than you were yesterday.
The old ways of searching and applying for a job don't work anymore in an information-flooded, hectic job market. It is inefficient, frustrating and favors people with “perfect” CVs.
Profound, strategic personal branding – especially using new tools like social media and online networking – can help you stand out creatively in an ocean full of people who do what everyone else does when looking for a job.
