Developing Your Personal Brand

Throughout your job search, it is important to build and strengthen your personal brand. Although creating an effective resume is a large piece of the puzzle, there are other elements to take into consideration in order to promote yourself in a positive manner, achieve your professional goals and land your dream job.

Develop Your Personal Brand
Personal branding is an ongoing process that should exist throughout your job search process and entire career. The goal of establishing a strong personal brand is to differentiate yourself among other professionals by demonstrating your unique value to employers. Below are a few steps you need to take to successfully build your brand while marketing yourself to potential employers:

• Increase Your Visibility. The first step towards building your personal brand is to get your name out there. The best way to establish a presence in your field is by attending industry meetings and conferences, participating in panel discussions or volunteering for committees. You never know when your contacts will be able to help you along your job search.
• Stay Connected. It is important to stay in touch with old contacts as well as continue to build and maintain your current network on a regular basis. Don’t be someone who reaches out to contacts only when they need something. Foster those relationships, especially the important ones!
• Create an Online Presence. Take professional networking to the next level by joining online social networking sites. Consider starting a blog on your area of expertise or creating a website that showcases samples of your work. Make an effort to meet other professionals online by commenting on relevant blogs or connecting with professionals through their social networking profile. Consider creating an online career portfolio and remember to manage your online reputation to ensure you are always presenting yourself in a positive, professional manner when interacting online.
• Establish Key Differentiators. Identify what makes you distinctive from other candidates and make sure to communicate it to potential employers. It is important to be honest about who you are as a professional and understand your strengths and unique value you bring to the table. It’s also important to recognize your weaknesses and develop a plan for personal improvement. By knowing yourself, you can more effectively promote yourself to others.
• Be Consistent. Ensure that you have a consistent message when speaking with potential employers, colleagues and other professionals. While you may not realize it, everything that you do or say contributes to your personal brand, including the way you conduct yourself in meetings, in phone conversations, through email communications and how you dress.
• Seek Feedback and Evaluate Progress. Once you have established your personal brand, it is important to continue to gauge how others perceive you. Test your market value by gathering constructive feedback from your co-workers, peers, family and friends. By understanding how others view your personal brand, you can learn what steps you need to take to position yourself for success.

Once you get a firm grasp on your 'personal brand,' take the next step and search & apply for local jobs at phillyjobs.com.