- Hannah Rafter
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The idea of having a personal brand is not a new one, it’s a concept
that has been evident in the business world and entrepreneurship space for
a while now, but over recent years it has become a factor for a wider
audience who now see its potential and is the hot topic of conversation
amongst students and young professionals. But why?
What is it and how to do it well
Having a public personal brand is in essence having a professional
presence online that represents what you do and what you can offer the
world. This can be seen as you showcasing your skills or talents or it can
simply be a record of who you are and what you are up to in your career,
like an online CV. Either is important for being seen and heard, not only
in your field but by other professionals who may be interested in you. A
common misconception is that in order to have a personal brand you must
sell services or offer something, this is not the case. In simple terms,
you are the brand.
Many people are now more aware than ever before that a personal online
presence can affect a career, and they would be right. Future, and even
current employers use social media channels to scout candidates so
developing a professional personal brand will be an important part of your
overall social media profile.
What tools should you use to develop your personal brand?
There are many free tools available to insure your google search list is
impressive and fully representative of who you are and how you want to be
seen.
Key tools:
- The Dots-The dots is a perfect example of
displaying your experiences as well as your achievements in online space.
The Dots allows you to upload ‘projects’ and can be a great way to not only
show credit for your work but also credit other team members. The Dots have
already indicated that current large corporations are looking to Dots
profiles to hire future candidates. - Online website-More and more people are creating their own website.
This could be something simple like hannahrafter.com. What should you
include? Well, you could provide greater detail of your CV, describing
further achievements and projects you’ve worked on. You may want to get a
little more personal and showcase your interests and hobbies outside of the
workplace. You can also have a contact me page where you can share what
career interests you have and the circumstances in which you would like to
be contacted and what opportunities you would be open to. - Instagram-Instagram is potentially the hardest one to understand how to
navigate, not how to use it, but what to share on it. People, more
commonly, have ‘work instagram’ accounts to showcase their creative ability
or visual skills. By using Instagram to build your personal professional
brand can be a different way to get ahead of the curve.
These are just some of the ways to build a strong, 360 degree
professional brand. If a platform out there exists that will help you
showcase who you are and what you can do, then why not be on it? Setting up
a profile on sites like those mentioned takes around 20 minutes on average.
That is 20 minutes of your time which will allow you to be seen, heard and
potentially hired. No matter your age, industry or job title, we can all
improve our professional online presence!
By contributing guest editor Hannah Rafter, founder and Editor In Chief of
The Intern 247, a website dedicated to giving real insights into the world
of fashion internships. @theintern247 theintern247.com
Photo: Pexels
