A little about me…• I grew up in Jacksonville, FL and have been successfully recruiting IT

professionals in Northeast Florida since 2004.

• My company…Hire Methods listed as #399 on INC 500 List, 6th fastest growing company in Jacksonville and one of the Best Places to Work according to Florida Trend (www.hiremethodsinc.com)

• What I do at Hire Methods…Recruiting, Account Management, Strategy Leadership & Online Community Management

• Other things I do…Gambino Central and INVEST Consulting, LLC (www.investinyourmessage.wordpress.com)

Let's Start Off with an OverviewDeveloping your personal brand will help you:

1. In Your Current Job

2. In Your Career Search

3. In Finding New Opportunities/Partnerships

4. Building Rapport

5. Networking / Making Connections

6. Help You Become More Personally Fulfilled with Life

What is Personal Branding? Personal branding is the process of how we market ourselves

to others (general)

The process by which individuals differentiate themselves by identifying and articulating their unique value proposition and then leveraging it across platforms with a consistent message and image to achieve a specific goal (specific)

Your Focus…" Regardless of age, regardless of position, regardless of the

business we happen to be in, all of us need to understand the importance of branding. We are CEOs of our own companies: Me Inc. To be in business today, our most important job is to be head marketer for the brand called You."

Tom Peters, Management Guru Source: http://www.fastcompany.com/magazine/10/brandyou.html

Without Personal Branding

• You can become a commodity in the marketplace

• Have a disadvantage compared to others

• Lose significant career opportunities

• Limit your reach

What is your brand?

• Self-Impression = Perception (Deal with this first)

• Second, Personal Branding is a state of mind (make it a priority)

• Third, remember the basics: Who are you? What do you do? What makes you unique?

4-Step Branding ProcessDiscover your brandDevelop your brand

Communicate your brandMaintain your brand

Step 1 - Discover your Brand!

Insights about YOU • Goals• Personal Drivers • Values • What are you passionate about? • What are you known for?• What do you have answers to?

Insights from others • How do others describe you? • What are the three compliments

people make about you? • What about you makes people stop,

watch and say WOW?

Step 2 - Develop your Brand!

Identify your target audience • Write a professional profile for your target audience “You are the only person

on earth who can (Should also be on the top of your resume)

• Understand your “unique value proposition” use your own ability”

•Answer why are you the “go-to-person” for your field/area of expertise? (accomplishments)

• Find five personal brand attributes (strengths)

How do you stand out?

• Now Discover Your Strengths by Marcus Buckingham• Personally and professionally it is important to know what

makes you different. • So get to know what exactly makes you

great and learn to communicate it!

My Strength Analysis

1. Strategy

2. Competition

3. Achiever

4. Woo (winning others over)

5. Positivity

Know Your Strengths

• Very few candidates, vendors or competitors are able to quickly and effectively communicate their strengths…let alone articulate how those strengths are going to help in some way.

• Remember…It’s not about you. Memorize your strengths and understand how they can apply to your next client, employer, etc.

Step 3 – Communicate your Brand• Create a Communications Plan

• Select a combination of vehicles to reach your Brands target audience and that play to your strengths

• Develop a timeline to implement that supports constancy in your communications

• Remember Clarity, Consistency, Constancy = (Transparency)

Tangible • Personal website • Blog • Social Networks • Business Card • Resume

(Accomplishments/Achievements)• Portfolio (CD/Web) • Reference Documentation

Intangible • Name • Appearance • Competencies • Personality • Mission • Vision • Values

Step 4 – Maintain your Brand

•  Have you ever searched for information about yourself online? “Google” yourself; set up Google Alert

• Be consistent ; “walk your talk”

• Assess your brand regularly (Linkedin)

• Gather feedback (ask others for recommendations)

• Evolve to stay relevant - The best brands are flexible (multiple copies of your resume)

•You can almost guarantee that employers look online to check you out! You are being Googled!

•Brands are Searchable - My Blog, My current company, My LinkedIn profile, Jacksonville.com articles, Twitter, Business Card, Resume, Facebook Profile, employment sites, job boards, etc

Tips for standing out and building credibility

• Your Personal Brand:

• Buy your own Domain Name

• Back up your crazy claims by controlling the online community. Your online reputation is becoming increasingly important! People are going to check you out…

• Reputation Management…Building Credibility

• Utilize Online Social Networking: LinkedIn, Facebook, YouTube, Twitter, Word Press

NetworkingSo…How did you generate your last sale or find your last job?

• From an Ad?• Through your Resume or Job Posting?• At a Networking Event?• Through a Recruiter?

(A Great Recruiter is a Great Networker)• By Referral?• At a Trade Show?• Through Cold Calling?

Everyone knows the networking basics:

• Working the Room

• Firm Handshakes

• Dress to Impress

Remember This:

• Networking is a state of mind and it is

• Too many people talk waaay too much.

• “Selling yourself” without knowing your audience = Creating lots of unintentional blabbering.

• Be resourceful (Solution=Use Linkedin and other tools to know your audience

NOT ABOUT YOU!

Blah.Blah.

Blah.

Blah.

Blah.Blah.

Blah.Blah.

Blah.Blah.

Basic keys to successful interviewing andnetworking:• Investigate the types of people that you will be meeting.• Prepare smart questions and rehearse in advance.• The more you talk, the less people are listening.• Answer a question and quickly ask one back.• Be intentional on who you want to meet and why.• Ask for permission to• Ask them how and when.

FOLLOW UP!

Remember This:

• People do not remember what you said or what you did for them…

• Ask smart questions, listen, ask for permission to follow up…THEN FOLLOW UP!

THEY REMEMBER HOW YOU MADE THEM FEEL!

Volunteering goes a long way

• Getting involved in helping others can really add meaning to your work and help you meet potential customers or employers.

So let’s fast forward…

• You established a rapport with a person of interest by focusing on them and not yourself.

• You asked them how and when to follow up.

• You followed up and set another meeting to expand and deepen your rapport.

• You uncovered areas you can help that person by using one or all of your strengths and/or resources.

Personal Branding…a Recap• Personal Branding and Networking is how recruitment is done

• You have full control over your brand

• If you don't take advantage of your strengths, you will lose opportunities (Marcus Buckingham)

• Brainstorm all your personal qualities and experiences

• Align your interests with your career aspirations

• Create your own Personal Brand and Network heavily

• Personal Branding costs hardly any money but does takes time

• Use social media tools for personal empowerment and professional networking

Recession Proofing & Personal Branding…• Continuing education; Always be learning and reading good books!

(Book of the month: Radical Careering)

• Be Blogging and following interesting & relevant Blogs (Blog about anything you are interested in or an expert in)

• Take responsibility for your happiness! Don’t fall into the trap of negativity. (Faith, Relationships with other people, Learning something new, etc.)

• Set goals. Get up and get out! (Bottom Line–Hit the streets and quit being lazy)

• Volunteer for a cause that you are passionate about. (You just might get a lead or a tip on a job opportunity this way, beside getting personal satisfaction out of helping others)

• Choose Hope & Refuse to Participate in the Recession!

Linkedin 101

Thanks for your time!