Remember when you had one version of your resume printed on nice paper? How about when finding a job meant looking at the wanted ads? Don't laugh, many are still doing it that way. Jobs have evolved, shouldn't job search? There is a post there about building peer communities of practice - such a slam dunk for those sites and companies.
The reality is that we're all connected - and that's even more evident once you jump online. There are only six pixels of separation between you and anyone else. A quick search for information on perspective employers, colleagues, partners... a likely dinner date means that any one of these groups can do the same to check you out. Your digital imprint can be traced, but personality is not included, so go get yours!
Building a personal platform and brand is an art and a balancing act. That's because when done to promote selfish motives, with no eye as to impact on community and no aspirations to help lift your network, or a worthy cause, branding yourself is an exercise in calories. It can leave you bulky on the outside, but empty on the inside.
Then there's the weighty question of what you do with all that exposure when you join a company - and team - and what the company decides to do when you move on. Do all the work and brand equity vanish into thin air? Who do you represent online? Who benefits the most from joining forces - the individual, or the company?
With shrinking budgets and busy schedules, you cannot expect continuing education to come with the job. While you learn a lot by doing, moving up requires constant learning and executing at higher levels. In many ways, learning constantly will just keep you in place at the pace at which change is happening today.
Social media is perfect for career development as it allows professionals to show what they know and how they think, interact with peers and build connections, learn from others, find mentors, and to become known as the go to person for that unique factor.
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Some tips:
- you find what works by doing, so get busy
- listening and observing are fabulous technologies
- work from your strengths - use the Strengths Finder, or leverage the Birkman Method for a more in depth look at where you are and your coachable moments
- being helpful is the new black
- clever is easy and tempting to do online, criticizing a potential employer may not be such a smart idea
What are you passionate about? How do you connect with others and opportunities? Why is it a good idea to be generous and real? How can you elevate something very personal to help many more? These are some of the questions and topics we'll address at Brand Camp U on October 10.
Add your thoughts and suggestions.
[image El Alma del Ebro]
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Hashtag #brandcampu
Twitter handles: @RohitBhargava, @ConversationAge, @HajjFlemings, @AprilHolmes, @MitchJoel, @ScottMonty
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