The Art of Self Promotion For Your Career
In web 2.0 era I have noticed that some very astute online marketers can use some help marketing themselves. Investing a couple of hours per month in raising your career profile can yield big returns down the line. Companies want to hire “leaders” in the space that are branded and can bring street cred to their company/department. The reality is that there may be very little that separates the credentials (skills & experience) of well-branded and not-so-well branded candidates, but we live in a perception world, so lets go over a few basics that we have seen over the years that seem to work well.
1. Blog – not about your personal life – share your thoughts, experiences, questions and professional accomplishments
2. Connect – when you meet new people, make a note to send them invitations to connect on LinkedIn. Make sure that you ask past and current colleagues to recommend your work – it may be a bit embarrassing to ask, but do it. While we’re discussing LinkedIn, take an hour to fill out your profile properly – include your accomplishments and details about your skills & experience.
3. Email newsletter – I get these from a handful of people and really enjoy them when they are done well. Basically they send out a blast every year or so updating their contacts on where they are, what they have been doing, what they learned, what is interesting to them right now, where they have travelled, etc. You can use your personal contact list to start and include your linkedin, facebook & other connections as they expand over time.
4. Attend industry events – virtually and in person.
5. Participate in industry events – volunteer your time to moderate panels, speak, run a meeting group – whatever it takes to get involved and associate your name with the event.
6. Start a local industry networking group – formally or informally.
7. Start a relationship with one or two of the best recruiters in your space. Most recruiters are useless, but there are definitely those that have placed themselves in the center of their industry, are well connected and get real insights in their space.
8. Become active in your industry association. Whether it is just partipating in the events or going as far as to run for a seat on the board, it is a great way to raise your visibility.
9. Create your own web site and invest a little bit of time and money into paid and natural search.
These are just a few of the things that seem to raise the profile of candidates and distinguish them in the marketplace. Whether you are actively looking for a position in the future or you just want opportunities to come to you for your consideration, branding yourself is key.
great blog – took some pointers straight from here.