Brand You with a Blog

By on March 23, 2007 in Blogging with 15 Comments

It’s almost graduation time. Are you ready to enter the workforce? Are you already there…sort of?

If we were to do a web search on your name, what would we find? Would we find your resume? Your blog? A MySpace journal? Maybe something someone else has written about you?

If it’s positive, fantastic. If it’s negative, you need to do something about that. If there’s nothing – that’s almost as bad as something negative.

Just like any other company or independent business person, you have a brand message. How are you delivering that message?

You Are Your Own Brand
Branding isn’t a term limited to companies and their customers. You should have your own brand. What’s the tagline on your business card? Do you follow through on that promise? When people talk about you – do they know how to describe what makes you unique?

If you don’t have a business card, go to www.vistaprints.com for an inexpensive solution. Create a tagline that remarkable and follow through on that promise. Give them to everyone and let them help you spread your message.

Create a Web Presence
Do you have your resume online? A blog site that talks about your professional life? A blog – which is a series of web pages – can help you position yourself as an expert in your field. In addition, a well-maintained blog or web site will help trump any embarrassing moments you may have elsewhere on the web.

At www.godaddy.com, you can quickly get a domain name for less than $10 – your name (first and last name) if it’s available. Then you can start your professional blog at www.wordpress.com (it’s free), which allows you to post entries on your blog and create separate pages for you resume and cover letter. Print the address of your blog on your business cards and employment applications.

Distinguish Yourself
Once you have your web presence and business cards setup, create a generic video interview. This can be a generic job interview, a personal profile (think Larry King) or a comfortable getting-to-know-you piece. Put that video on YouTube, and then post it on your blog site.

This accomplishes a couple of things. First, it differentiates you from others. Not a lot of people are doing this right now – but it may become normal practice in the next few years. Second, you offer value to those that are considering your for work or collaboration.

The more transparent and authentic you can be; the more findable you are – the better chances you have for success.

Further reading for furthering your career:
- Life Beyond Code: Distinguish Yourself
- The Occupational Adventure
- William Arruda on Personal Branding
- Career Intensity
- Helping Give College Grads a Fighting Chance

Follow on Twitter or Facebook or on Google+

Find Your Social Media ROI

I hear it from a lot of business owners: “Where is the ROI with all this Social Media?“ If this is a question you ask yourself, maybe we should work together a bit more. We can work together solo, or via a professional learning community. Find and increase your ROI. There is a “there” there.

About Mike Sansone:

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  • http://blog.creativethink.com Roger von Oech

    Mike,
    Really good advice. I’m sending a link on to my job-seeking, college-senior son.
    Best wishes!

  • http://www.bikerchicknews.com Janet Green

    Mike, this post brings up an interesting question for all parents to consider. The question is: What are your younger kids posting today that could come back to haunt them when they apply for jobs or colleges? And as parents, to what extent do we try to balance (thru our influence) a kid’s need to find him/herself… to “try on” various identities, including the negative ones… to express him/herself… with the need for future considerations? Okay that’s two questions. I feel a post coming on!! (Great springboard you’ve posted here!)

  • http://www.OwnYourBrand.com Mike Wagner

    Great advice.
    Good to remember that brands are being formed every moment of our lives — professional and private.
    The first time I gave the “own your brand” presentation was for an career development event sponsored by Drake University.
    So when you wrote, “Branding isn’t a term limited to companies and their customers.” I uttered a hearty “Amen!”
    More than a few “old timers” need the advice your are offering to graduates.
    Keep creating…I am sure you will,
    Mike

  • http://recruitersdumpingground.blogspot.com Dennis Smith

    Mike – many grads have heard so much negative (from employers) about the MySpace issues, etc., I believe many of them are tentative to pursue the video resumes.
    I’m with you – pursue the vid-rez now while it’s a novelty. I’m sure many a recruiters inbox will be overflowing (in the years to come) with video resumes.
    Why this generation would be tentative to blog, however, is beyond me. There right at home in the blogger’s seat.
    Excellent advice. I’m going to reference it on my blog and also on the collegerecruiter.com site today.
    Dennis

  • http://theengagingbrand.typepad.com Anna Farmery

    As you know I am a true believer in a personal brand. I am reminded of a quote from Michael Goldhaber from Wired
    “If there is nothing special about your work, no matter how hard you apply yourself you won’t get noticed and that increasingly means that you won’t get paid much either”
    If you replace your work with your personal brand then it becomes powerful, but the biggest reason for me is that I want to ensure that I live my life to my values, I want to create my legacy as I go…so there are no regrets when I close my eyes for the final time….

  • http://moblogsmoproblems.blogspot.com Mack Collier

    The day after I started blogging, Sept. 20th 2005, I did a Google search for my name. There were 427 results, and most of the top results were someone else.
    Now you do that same search and there’s over 40,000 results, and almost all of them are me and directly related to my blogging. I don’t think students (or many adults for that matter) understand the Google-power of blogging. Students would do well to heed your great advice Mike!

  • http://www.converstations.com Mike Sansone

    >Roger. Hope it helps…same son that was an AOL chatter eight years ago. Maybe this makes up for it?:-)
    >Janet – Really good questions. As parents and teachers, rather than saying “Don’t!” we should be showing how to “Do…right” See Mack’s comment below.
    >Mike W – I was preaching to the choir on this one, hmm? Yep – even works for old-timers.
    >Dennis – I think you’ve talked about this on your site (thanks for the idea?). It’s amazing how many students are independent until graduation – then they seem to lose that verve. Why? Because now they need to fit in? Be yourself! We need you as you are. Thanks for sharing this around – glad it adds value.
    >Anna – great quote! you’re right, of course, about replacing your “work” with your “brand”. By doing that, you become the owner of your own small business (and your employer is your top client).
    >Mack! Great addition here. Thanks for sharing a great of example that this stuff works.

  • http://jemmille.com/ Jeremy

    I’m trying to teach my kids that anything you do online could eventually come back to haunt you. My daughter doesn’t understand why I won’t let her get a MySpace (she is only 12) or why I don’t let her freely browse YouTube. The web can be an unparalleled tool when it comes to making your information available to people efficiently and quickly. Unfortunately is also the biggest downside – Make one mistake and the whole world might know.

  • http://www.blogforjobs.com Blog for Jobs

    I’ve been saying for a while that blogs are the 21st century resume. In fact I created a site that showcases job seekers who use blogs to find work.
    http://www.blogforjobs.com

  • http://www.brainbasedbusiness.com Ellen Weber

    Thanks Mike, It seems to me that you are building a good case for knowing a niche also. Do you see a danger in too many blogs or brands looking too similar for instance?

  • http://www.blogopreneur.com Kian Ann

    A personal professional interest blog is Resume 2.0! :P

  • http://www.personalbrandingblog.com Dan Schawbel

    Did you know that 75% of recruiters google applicants before an interview and 25% take the applicant out of the pool for what they find?
    Yes and that is because google is now the source of information for all audiences and because of new security measures in the workplace.
    Personal Branding is KEY!

  • http://www.enviartorpedogratis.com.br/ Oi torpedo

    What about free blogs at blogger?

  • Scott

    As a recruiter now looking for employment. I am finding myself on the other side of the fence. I know enough to know, I need to market myself straight to the company. That’s what we do with candidates all the time, called skill marketing. Staright to our clients and hoping that they will want to meet with them in person.

    This blog is different from most other blogs and websites are saying. But I found it to be the most accurate for the future as far as my opinion. I have yet to receive a blog site, web site, or YouTube resume. It seems kind of funny, but I think when technology catches up to the Old Schoolers, it will be normal part of the resume.

    Thanks for the input,

    Scott – Orl, FL

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