Professional- Me – The Touchstone of the New Digital Persona

by Debra Wheatman on May 21, 2010 in Job Search

Creating a personal branding strategy to accelerate your career growth

The future of job search strategy is now

Traditional job search strategies, while they certainly cannot and should not be ignored during any career development activities, they just aren’t enough anymore.  Just passing around your resume, using recruiters and asking your small circle of friends and professional network won’t cut it as we continue to accelerate into the new Internet age.   People you have met face-to-face or spoken to on the phone no longer represent the limit your network.  Some of my best business contacts are people I have never met or even spoken to on the phone.  Not on LinkedIN, Twitter or other networking sites? You need to be there.

Traditional job search strategies aren’t enough anymore

The traditional approach of job search involves opening every oyster until you find the pearl.  It is serial or linear in nature.  The problem with this linear approach is that it is slow and not very agile.  It doesn’t scale and leaves you in a position where you are taking two steps forward and falling one step back. It is important to cast a wide net – explore all of the oysters. The pearl is there for you. However, you will work to find it. You cannot put your feet up on your sofa while you load your resume to every job board you can find. The calls will not come from that approach.

Creating your personal brand

People in the advertising may have had it right all along.  Creating a brand can go a long way in furthering your career.  Make yourself a little famous.  Let the hiring managers “find” you.  They may not even know that they are looking for you, but if you create your unique digital persona they can’t help but find you. Your online brand will also augment your traditional career documents. Hiring managers can “see” what you offer via a unique online portfolio. Conducting a phone screen? You will be able to direct someone to a link to view your brand online as you discuss your credentials and achievements. This combination of listening and seeing what you offer will set you apart and allow you to leave an indelible, and positive mark.

LinkedIN and Plaxo

Business networking sites such as LinkedIN and Plaxo can be a huge boon to your search.  Know what company you want to work for? See who you know that might know someone there.  Looking to move into new industry? Trying to find potential contacts to network with?  I have worked with dozens of clients that have either directly found jobs or learned about opportunities within the hidden job market. These social networking sites allow us to connect like never before. Meeting people in a virtual platform is definitely different and can be challenging, but is definitely worth the effort.

Blogging isn’t just for bloggers

Blogging is a great way to get your name out there.  Even if you don’t necessarily blog about your vocation, blogging will expose you to a new audience. It will also allow you to interact with others – expanding your network. The topics you write about don’t need to be about your professional efforts – in fact there are many blogs that provide personal information about the author. Whatever you decide, make sure you maintain a positive presence. Anything you put online is fair game if you know what I mean.

Here’s a sample (http://www.professional-me.com/sample ) of what your Professional-Me profile might look like. It can include links to your social networking sites, blogs, Twitter and other information that you will want to share with a potential employer. Keen to demonstrate that you are technically savvy? Want to make a strong first impression? Then you need professional-me.