What is the Secret to Personal Branding

What is the Secret to Personal Branding You might have heard about personal branding, it is a much hyped concept that is all over the web at the moment. How does it affect us normal folks and what can we do to make the most of personal branding? This article will briefly explain what it is, what you should be doing and what you can expect from it. What is personal branding? Personal branding is how you project yourself to the world, how you create and maintain your image. Your brand is just as much about your profession and career as your background, what type of person you are, your interests and any interesting facts. Your brand is what people say about you when you’re not in the room” â€"  Jeff Bezos, Founder of Amazon Personal branding is essentially very similar to company branding, for example the golden arches of McDonalds  or the Apple of, uhm, Apple  have become instantly recognisable as part of those companies. This is what you want for yourself, you want to stand out from the crowd and be memorable. Personal branding is where you and your career are bundled together into one. It’s the way you market and promote the image of yourself. What you do and what you are all about and above all what you can do for others. Compare your personal brand to a rock star’s image, something that needs to be maintained. All interaction you have with other people make up your personal branding. Having a meeting, making a phone call, sending an email are all activities that demonstrate your brand. Offline and online, you only get a few seconds for a first impression so you will want to get it right. Do I need a personal brand? You already have one. What you need is to maintain it and make sure it projects what you want it to by staying consistent continuously improve it. You will want to take control of your brand because you want to be noticed and stand out from the crowd. It will help you to be seen by current and prospective clients, business partners, employers and so forth. You want people to remember who you are and what you do. Your online brand: First impressions count, also online. Its free and very simple to sign up for online networking sites and they are great tools for promoting your brand. Any typical professional will have a profile with LinkedIn or Facebook, some will have lots more than this. As long as you use and maintain your profile in the right manner, you are on to a winner. Try googling your name and see what happens. Now consider that others (prospective customers for instance) do the same. Are you happy with what they see? If you were a client, you would probably want to see a supplier with a professional profile on Linkedin and possibly other platforms. We already know that headhunters and HR people are all over LinkedIn like a cheap suit. Guess what, they also cross reference you on Facebook, Twitter, Myspace and other sites to see that you are not simply putting on a corporate act. Make sure the brand you project is consistent and well positioned, it will help you to get that raise, promotion or even a new and better job. Just like having 20 recommendations on LinkedIn weighs in your favour, one ‘wrong’ photo can be a complete deal breaker and leave you regretting ever signing up for that service. My experience: I have long been prolific on LinkedIn and used it as a tool for expanding my network and to do research on people and companies. I have a large and growing network which has supported me when building this site and even coming up with ideas for posts. I set up Undercover Recruiter to promote myself as well as the blog. Setting up a blog is optional and perhaps not the first step you want to take, although if you have the time it is definitely worth looking into. I promote this blog across a few platforms (mainly LinkedIn, Facebook Twitter) and try to have exactly the same brand on all of them. Call to action: Make sure you are consistent with everything you communicate to the world. This includes how you speak, your emails, online presence, your resume and even how you dress. Will your prospect customer be surprised or even disappointed when they meet you for the first time? You have to make sure you are one and the same across all channels and you will then come across as genuine and trustworthy. Share information about yourself, tell stories and inspire others. Add some personality to your brand, we all know it’s easier to sell on emotions than facts. When you think you are finished, anyone should be able to locate you online and find out what you do and what makes you special. If this isn’t the case, you need to put some more work in. Bottom line: You need to be aware of your personal brand and you should ensure that you are projecting the right image of yourself. By being consistent and congruent, online and offline, you will build up your image and people will notice and trust you. As long as this is a positive message, you will improve your chances of having a great career/building your business/making friends/whatever your goal is. What is your experience of personal branding? Let us know in the comments below! RELATED: How to Build Your Personal Brand [10 Simple Steps] Image: Shutterstock

Should I Use a Resume Writing Service?

Should I Use a Resume Writing Service?In my opinion, the correct answer to this question is that you should use a resume writing service. Why? Because of two main reasons. And to be honest, if you don't do this, then I think you are hurting yourself.The first and most obvious good reason to use a service is that you are going to save time and money. When you are doing the legwork yourself, you are wasting your time. By hiring someone to do the legwork for you, you are making sure that you get the results that you need. That means you are getting the interview.The second good reason to use a service is that it will save you a lot of stress. Many people are not used to this process and end up jumping through hoops because they can't seem to get anything done. That's why it's very important to know how to use this service.There are many different types of services out there. Most companies are going to focus on the same thing. That's getting you a job. So as a whole, they are going to f ocus on getting you a job.However, some resume services focus on hiring. This means that they hire people who specialize in getting resumes approved. This means that they understand what it takes to get your resume read. This in turn means that they can better explain the job description, the salary range, and the reasons for the offer.How do you find the best service? Like I said before, it's really important to know how to use the service. They are going to spend a lot of time doing the legwork for you. This means that they are going to spend a lot of time looking at your resume. So to make sure that you get the results that you want, it's important to be as concise as possible.As well, make sure that the company you are working with has some specific skills that they specialize in. For example, you might have certain jobs that you need someone to point out in your resume. This means that if you use the service, they are going to understand the needs that you have so that they can better help you.After all, you want to make sure that you get a response from the hiring manager. That's a key part of getting an interview. So to ensure that this happens, it's important to make sure that you hire a good service.

Re-Post What I Learn About You In A Few Quick Google Searches

Re-Post What I Learn About You In A Few Quick Google Searches Its not often that I abdicate and simply re-post someone elses writing, but this blog post by Nathaniel Broughton said it all, and said it well.   You should expect to be Googled and to Google people youre going to meet.   As Broughton mentions in his post, your conversation will be much better much faster if you can say, I really liked the article you wrote on rather than simply commenting on the weather. You should master the skills of finding people and the skills it takes to be found.   What does your online footprint look like?   Can people find you easily, see your areas of expertise, and  learn what youre interested in right now?   If not, you have some work to do.   Read the full post here:  http://ow.ly/5hHuH

Oh no!... Not another How to be a great blogger blog post ) - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career

Oh no!... Not another How to be a great blogger blog post ) - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career The internet has provided a platform that allows anyone to call themselves an expert.   Because of this, every blog post is teaching you how to be more productive, how to build a better company, or how to make more money.   There is now so much content on the internet that I cant quickly differentiate quality content from mediocre content that is just a regurgitation of whats already been written online. I feel there is a saturation of content online and that it is very hard for me to break through the noise.   I dont even use Technorati or Blog Pulse to search for blogs anymore because I just cant rely on them to give me the quality content that I need. So how can you stand above the noise?   How can you make a name for yourself in a crowded room full of bloggers? Lets explore: Prime Case Example: Adam Baker from ManvsDebt I first met Adam during a LIVE ustream session with Jonathan Mead from the Illuminated Mind.   Adam was three months into blogging and had already accumulated over 300 blog subscribers and had a legit looking site.   I think this was the only time that I had more traffic than him on my personal blog.   Shortly after our LIVE meetup, Adam hit the front page of Digg and began to blog on sites such as Get Rich Slowly and Wise Bread. I am personally very impressed with Adams rapid growth in the blogosphere and feel that he is the perfect case example of how to stand out in a topic that is very saturated. Here is how you can do it too: 1. Readers care about the author Adam doesnt just teach; he has opened his life up to the world and is completely transparent.   He has shown us all of the material possessions that he owns, shown us exactly what it takes to get a job abroad, and introduced us to his little daughter. Because he has opened up to us, we really care about Adam and his family.   I have eaten lunch with him when he stopped by SoCal and consider him one of my best friends in the blogosphere. To do: Introduce your readers to your home, family, or friends.   Dont just teach; demonstrate who you are as a person and people will love the author more than the content. 2. Learn how to build relationships with bloggers This is probably Adams greatest quality.   He is great at building relationships with people online!   It sounds like such a simple task, right?   All you have to do is comment on blogs, reply to all of your comments, and write guest posts when you have time.   Isnt that enough? Nope, nothing could be further from the truth. This is an area that I too need to progress in.   Most of the time I let people come to me instead of going out and initiating interactions with top bloggers.   Im great at maintaining the current relationships that I have, but I have slacked a bit in terms of creating new relationships.   I remember something Jonathan Mead once told me, I make a goal to meet 1 amazing blogger every month. Its such a simple goal but its so hard in practice. To do: Write down the name of a person you would like to meet this month.   Make every effort to initiate a conversion with him or her and build that solid relationships. 3. Write AMAZING content I know what youre thinking, Wow Jun, thanks for the generic advice!   But give me a chance, and Ill show you the difference between good content and amazing content. This is good content hmmmm, I thought about it, and I dont want to insult anyone by saying its just good.   I know, Ill just use an example of one of my old blog posts!   Juns good post: The All I care about is Money Disease.   Yup, this is a really good post if I do say so myself ?? Now lets compare my post to an amazing post: Tyler Durdens Guide to Personal Finance.   Come on!   Now thats too good!   This is an amazing post.   Just read it over and youll know why. To do: Write an amazing blog post.   Of course the next questions is, How do I write amazing content?   Try this: Write a post that is 1,500+ words in length that has taken you 4 hours to gather the research for.   See if that puts you in the right direction. So there are three actionable steps that you can take to stand out above the crowd.   Make sure to reach out to Adam; hes an awesome guy and will definitely respond to you. Author: Jun is the President of SocialMediaMarketing.com and the Co-Founder of Viralogy.com.   He blogs at Become a Young Successful Entrepreneur and enjoys meeting other young entrepreneurs that are willing to hustle their way to success.

Executive Resume Writing Services - What You Need to Know

Executive Resume Writing Services - What You Need to KnowIf you are considering hiring an executive resume writing service, then it is worth considering the caliber of their services before you sign up for anything. In the current job market, the competitive nature of this field and the price they charge are not going to be reasonable. You should have the option of deciding on a price before you sign a contract or otherwise entrust your future to someone.The first thing you want to look for when hiring a right executive resume writer is experience. You want to be sure they have the proper qualifications, so don't hire a fresh graduate right off the street. Experience is what will count in this industry. Experience in this area means they have been doing this for some time and have a track record of success.Another thing to consider is the particular craft of the person offering the service, as you don't want to get a certain kind of service without being sure you will like what you g et. If you are the type of person who likes to do something yourself and are not afraid to spend the time required to get it done, this is definitely for you. However, if you prefer to outsource your writing needs, this isn't for you.A resume writer that has worked in the Denver area for years is the best candidate for your needs. This means you won't be paying a fortune to a company that does not have experience in this field. Remember, if you hire someone who doesn't have a certain amount of experience, they will most likely not have a lot of recommendations to give.The next consideration is the type of work they do, as well as experience. You want someone who is knowledgeable about the business you are involved with and how it works. They should be able to tell you if the company you are dealing with is reputable and if the credentials of the people they employ are accurate. There are many companies who offer these services; you just need to make sure that the people you are hiri ng are the best you can find.You also want to make sure that the right executive resume writer will be able to help you get your job. The process of getting a new job can take a long time. If you are trying to get a job in the Denver area, you need to be able to get hired quickly so you can start working immediately.Quality executive resume writer is going to take time to find, but you will be getting a reputable individual to hire. Keep in mind that the idea of hiring someone who has a lot of experience might not necessarily mean they will be the one to take care of your needs. It is more important that you hire someone who can help you find your job quickly and offer the best value for your money.Finally, you want to make sure the service they are offering you can get the job done quickly. The truth is that if you have a big project, it can take quite a bit of time to get the job done. A fast executive resume writer can help you be on your way to a new career as soon as possible.

How to Write a Criminology Resume

How to Write a Criminology ResumeThe first thing you need to know when it comes to criminology resume writing is that it is something that you will have to do for a long time. If you're a criminology major then you are in the running for some of the top jobs out there, and if you're not then you can still use resume writing as an aid. Criminology is a discipline that has great applications, so writing a criminology resume is a great way to make yourself stand out from the crowd. Your resume is your first impression of you as a professional, so you want to make sure that you have all of the information that you need to give the best first impression possible.You should know that there are many different forms of criminology. There is forensic criminology, which is the study of crimes. This includes everything from murder cases to rapes to bank robberies. There is also, of course, criminal psychology, which looks at how criminals think and why they do what they do. It can be difficult to find a criminology degree that will prepare you for all of these different types of cases, but if you have some sort of certification that shows you understand the subject, you can fill in the gaps.If you have already completed a criminology degree then you should have some practice with resume writing. The better you feel about yourself as a professional, the better you will be able to write a quality resume. Take some time to look through your college or university's alumni magazine and see what they say about you.Next, you will want to take a look at your resume and see if there are any places where you could improve it. All of the information you put on a resume is vital, but you will want to be careful to make sure that you are not going over the top. If you have a few minutes, take out your old resume and read it again, trying to get a sense of what you did right and what you did wrong. This will help you remember what you need to change and what you can leave out.One thing you can add onto your criminology resume that you might not have thought of before is school or internship information. Just about every major has a number of internships that you can apply for as well as jobs that you might have applied for. This is a great way to offer yourself up to the employers and show them that you have a talent for getting things done and that you would be an asset to their organization. Remember, if you have not been in a post-secondary program or have had some sort of job training, then this may not be relevant to your application.Another place to look for information on your resume is in the skills section. Criminology involves a lot of hands-on experience, and the skills that you can add onto your resume will reflect that. For example, if you have experience with computer systems then this would be a good area to highlight. If you have made presentations at a public forum or a job fair then this would be a good area to include.If you are looking for any advice on how to write a criminology resume, then your best bet is to look at the careers page of the college or university where you are attending. They should be able to point you in the right direction when it comes to the skills you need to put on your resume. Just be sure to focus on the most important aspects of your experience and how these will help you succeed in the career field you are applying for.Criminology resume is a great way to make yourself stand out from the competition. By focusing on the areas that you have been trained to excel in, you will be able to create a resume that will have you in the lead at any position.

Weight Your Turn! Coping With A Physically Demanding Job

Weight Your Turn! Coping With A Physically Demanding Job When youre trying to embark on the appropriate career path, it takes you down some unexpected turns, but it also might result in something that you didnt really expect. Whatever you end up doing, you want to find yourself challenged in one way or another. Arguably one of the biggest challenges anybody can face is in the physical aspect of work. Having work that is physically challenging is great for us in terms of our cardiovascular health, but by doing something, day in and day out, that is physically strenuous, it can begin to wear us down. So, if you have a physically demanding job, what are the best ways for you to cope with it? Do the tasks properly In other words, make sure you have proper form. If you are constantly lifting items, by bending over, and using your back, this will result in you developing posture problems. Having proper posture is vital to you doing the job properly, but also for your general health. There are some helpful pointers on www.acatoday.org to give you an idea of how to maintain proper posture. In addition to this, you need to make sure that the tools you are operating with are helping you, not hindering you. In terms of the workplace environment, this means having appropriate clothing. Having supportive shoes is vital to keeping your posture, you can browse www.alegriashoeshop.com to get an idea of shoes that will help to support you, especially if you work in a place that demands you have stylish footwear, such as a department store. There comes a point, if you have been working with bad form, where it begins to impact on your ability to do the job. This means you have to focus on having the proper f orm first. And much like when you are working out in the gym, form is everything; this is no different! Make sure you fuel yourself With all the focus on diets nowadays, there isnt much emphasis on fueling yourself up, especially if you have an extremely physically demanding job. This doesnt give you an excuse to overload with sugar, but rather make sure you have enough of the right foods in your diet to sustain your energy. For something like a long 12 hour day, you need to make sure that complex carbohydrates form the basis of your eating. Complex carbohydrates release energy slower which will help to sustain you. And making sure you have the appropriate amounts of vitamins, minerals, and healthy fats in your diet, such as from olive oil, will definitely make you feel much better, instead of bowing to the temptation to get a fast food lunch! Nowadays, we work hard, and play harder. If you have a job where you are constantly on your feet, such as in the retail industry, and then you head out for drinks with your colleagues, there is no let up. After a while, this is going to wear you down physically. So by making sure that you are looking after your body in a physical sense, and also fueling yourself, it better prepares you for the tasks ahead.

Plan your job search future...A future party! -

Plan your job search future...A future party! - In an effort to help job seekers break away from typical planning patterns and habits, todays post offers a fun idea from my friend Cindy Petersiel, a business coach who blogs at Design Your Success. Cindy describes a Come As You Will Be party that her client attended: Have you heard of these?   You come as if your life is 5 years down the road.   This gives the party goer an opportunity to really think about what she will be in 5 years.   Invitees were asked to dress as like they want to dress in 5 years.   Bring photos of the places theyve traveled and their homes.   Conversation is expected to be as if you are 5 years in the future. She goes on: My client was nervously excited about the party.   As she got more and more into the process of pretending, she began to get more and more clear on what she wanted for her business and her life in the year 2014.   As the party approached, she had a real look at what success meant to her.   She had designed her own success (I love it!) and had a 5 Year Plan and Vision in place. The benefits didnt end there.   As she got into the idea and the play of the party, she began to really  create a vision of  what it would be like 5 years from now with her success.   She got to feel what it is like to be there. This told  the subconscious portion of her mind that it IS.   And now, with with the subconscious portion of her mind thinking it is, it sees all sorts of  possibilities and opportunities  that she was blind to before. Actions taken on those possibilities become leaps forward toward the achievement of that year plan. Cindy suggests the following: Use the power of pretend to create your own 5-year plan.   Host your own Come As You Will Be party.   Make it big or make it small, but make it fun and really get into it. Here are some tips to give your invitees: Ask yourself, how do I want to be dressing in 5 years? Make a photo album of the places youve been and your home(s).   Be ready to talk about them and your experiences. In your business, who are your customers? What is your role in your business?   How is it different from today? How do you spend your days? What are your hobbies? As you prepare for the party, jot down the ideas of opportunities and actions that will inevitably jump into your head.   It doesnt matter if you wont do them yet.   Keep them for yourself. So, if you are stuck in a rut and cant do anything but complain that your search isnt going the way youd hoped take a break from the typical and jump into the spirit of fun and imagination. Make a vision board. Envision your future. Host a future party. Need a little help ramping up your search? Read how I can help get your job hunt going! photo by rafeejewell