Personal branding. Deal or No deal?
I was exchanging emails with a colleague a week or two back and I made a joke about personal branding that included a reference to gagging myself with a spoon—an oldie but a goodie. Me being a quintessential Generation X gal with a healthy dose of skepticism, I had to make a joke first, then later, mull it over. I share my thoughts.
Sure, it makes common sense that any of us has the potential to leave an impression online. For the average person, this amounts to what your MySpace and FaceBook profile look like. Colors, images, fonts, music (at least in the case of MySpace)—can all aid in this process. The profile reader might walk away with some sort of label attached to you.
See you on FaceBook and the profile reader might say, "Gee, that guy likes camping with his kids," or "Hey, that woman loves to go hiking." (On a deeper level, they might say, I can relate to these people. They seem okay.) You wouldn't get that effect with a simple White Pages listing.
But the branding concept takes it further. It goes on to say that you can—with wit, skill, and a certain amount of calculation—build a presence that represents your values and skills. You can also give a window into how you behave and what you like. Call it, your virtual reputation. As Kramer would say to Jerry, "That's a bold statement."
I was writing to my colleague about the branding concept in reference to LinkedIn and the many social networking sites like it. (For those that don't know LinkedIn is a business-oriented social networking site. According to Wikipedia, it was founded in 2003 and as of this May had 39 million registered users spanning 170 industries. It is so mainstream now that recruiters are said to be looking for candidates there and there are courses in how to work with the website in your job search.)
So LinkedIn is the FaceBook of the business world. While I get the value of LinkedIn, have a profile, and have used the site by joining groups and reaching out to people, I'm wasn't sure I was being branded there, exactly.
Then I thought about what was on my profile.
*A picture of a smiling me. (Message: I'm energetic, upbeat and approachable.)
*A synopsis of who I am. (My elevator pitch, actually.) Certainly, there's no room for digression or non-relevant messaging here. It's a succinct statement about what I do and what I can do for a company. A full resume also appears, exactly the same resume that I am using to apply for jobs. (Every time I tweaked and changed my original, I re-posted on LinkedIn.)
*Two recommendations from colleagues that describe me in glowing terms based on fact. I didn't find a cure for world hunger, but I was and am a good reporter and these folks told anybody looking at my site why I was good.
*A list of LinkedIn special interest groups I belong to. This is yet another way to bond with people over common concerns or interests.
Hmmmm. Sounding more and more like a brand, although I don't have a personal logo (just kidding.) I guess my point is, you can think, on a certain level, that it seems a little contrived, but on another level, jump in and play the game along with everyone else. Along with putting on your best suit and interview smile, the way you handle LinkedIn and other sites like it can leave the world with a sense of you as a busy, with it professional who knows what's happening now. So, just maybe, you should play along.
For more thoughts on the branding concept, check out this article on Fast Company.
Sure, it makes common sense that any of us has the potential to leave an impression online. For the average person, this amounts to what your MySpace and FaceBook profile look like. Colors, images, fonts, music (at least in the case of MySpace)—can all aid in this process. The profile reader might walk away with some sort of label attached to you.
See you on FaceBook and the profile reader might say, "Gee, that guy likes camping with his kids," or "Hey, that woman loves to go hiking." (On a deeper level, they might say, I can relate to these people. They seem okay.) You wouldn't get that effect with a simple White Pages listing.
But the branding concept takes it further. It goes on to say that you can—with wit, skill, and a certain amount of calculation—build a presence that represents your values and skills. You can also give a window into how you behave and what you like. Call it, your virtual reputation. As Kramer would say to Jerry, "That's a bold statement."
I was writing to my colleague about the branding concept in reference to LinkedIn and the many social networking sites like it. (For those that don't know LinkedIn is a business-oriented social networking site. According to Wikipedia, it was founded in 2003 and as of this May had 39 million registered users spanning 170 industries. It is so mainstream now that recruiters are said to be looking for candidates there and there are courses in how to work with the website in your job search.)
So LinkedIn is the FaceBook of the business world. While I get the value of LinkedIn, have a profile, and have used the site by joining groups and reaching out to people, I'm wasn't sure I was being branded there, exactly.
Then I thought about what was on my profile.
*A picture of a smiling me. (Message: I'm energetic, upbeat and approachable.)
*A synopsis of who I am. (My elevator pitch, actually.) Certainly, there's no room for digression or non-relevant messaging here. It's a succinct statement about what I do and what I can do for a company. A full resume also appears, exactly the same resume that I am using to apply for jobs. (Every time I tweaked and changed my original, I re-posted on LinkedIn.)
*Two recommendations from colleagues that describe me in glowing terms based on fact. I didn't find a cure for world hunger, but I was and am a good reporter and these folks told anybody looking at my site why I was good.
*A list of LinkedIn special interest groups I belong to. This is yet another way to bond with people over common concerns or interests.
Hmmmm. Sounding more and more like a brand, although I don't have a personal logo (just kidding.) I guess my point is, you can think, on a certain level, that it seems a little contrived, but on another level, jump in and play the game along with everyone else. Along with putting on your best suit and interview smile, the way you handle LinkedIn and other sites like it can leave the world with a sense of you as a busy, with it professional who knows what's happening now. So, just maybe, you should play along.
For more thoughts on the branding concept, check out this article on Fast Company.
Comment
-
Comment by Kristin Steen on June 17, 2009 at 1:10pm -
ah, lauren...you are soooo much a better writer than Nora Roberts,,,and wiser too...if you wanted to, I bet you could write a really good romance, that would be in the class of Gone with the Wind, not just any trash....I like that 'urban/hippie/new age/touch of goth' person lurking in there...
It is interesting...the idea that your 'image' is a thing you create...the literati and artists/performers know this, for sure, and many have made themselves famous because of that ability to construct a profitable public image, whether the substance was there or not. People do want to relate to something they can identify, unknown things make them uncomfortable, right or wrong, and branding does give them comfort, in thinking that they 'know'....
For those of us who are always trying to see under the hood, it is one more layer...and the problem of believing your own bs is very tempting! The more creative you are, the more believable/interesting your bs is, and there can be danger is thinking that you are less without your 'brand'...did you see 'The Talented Mr. Ripley?'
We wind up in a place where we can compare ourselves unfavorably not only to other peoples 'brand' but even our own... kind of a bind....
-
Comment by Lauren Bielski on May 14, 2009 at 9:51am
-
Ah Kristin,
I totally get your feelings about the whole thing—and I'm not thrilled to get pictures taken either. On a certain level the "branding" process is reductive—and there is huge potential for misleading employers or "friends" in a purely social sense. I guess, I've come to the realization, though, that many of the benefits outweigh the risks of all that. Think of it this way—and leave aside the whole picture part of it for a minute—even with all the advice out there, when you read various profiles or written pieces, some stand out (the talent part). Likewise, in my opinion, genuine enthusiasm stands out. My point is, the real comes creeping out of your efforts to present it. Maybe I can explain it this way, years ago, when I was writing little arch short stories that I wanted to get into the New Yorker, my mother would ask me why I didn't try to write a romance novel. I was in my urban/hippie/new age/touch of goth phase, and laughed it off. Then I realized (and was later told by a professional writer) I couldn't fake a good romance novel. Even if I thought they were pure confab and bad lit, my lack of belief and lack of sentiment would creep through. "Nora Roberts believes her own B*..." Anyway, I'm rambling a bit but I hope you get my point. I think, if done properly, the branding process will show an aspect of you. (Granted, perhaps a perfected, more obedient, more smiley version.) I hope to meet you sometime soon. Getting your emails always cheers me up. Lauren
-
Comment by Kristin Steen on May 13, 2009 at 7:57pm
- Oh, and btw...LinkedIn removed my Logo, because they said it wasn't a photo, and would make it hard for people who did not know me to recognize me! I protested, telling them that the 'image' that I had was my logo, and associated with me, and those that knew me. I thought that was what Linked In was initially about, people who knew each other, and those that knew others through someone else they knew. It has become a meat market, with people offering to become 'linked' just to build their numbers. How sad. So, now, my profile is picture-less, for the time being. I am not sure I want one, I liked the logo I had. I thought it said more about me than any photo could.
-
Comment by Kristin Steen on May 13, 2009 at 7:49pm
-
hi Lauren
Such an interesting article. I am a little dismayed by the thought that 'all I am' can be whittled down to a message that is delivered in 20 seconds or so. I suppose my reaction to having to 'brand' myself comes from my own work history, in technology, where demonstrable skill trumps (or used to) personality. If now, however, I have to become a professional marketer to promote my skills, which seems to be being recommended all over, then I've become a marketer, rather then a real person with skills and a reputation.
I somehow can't object to the general idea of marketing yourself, but in the end, if you are a better marketer then the next guy with better skills then you, how does that work out? The poor employer has become yet another victim of advertising...yet another dupe sold a bill of goods, and eventually looses the ability to distinguish 'good' from 'bad'.. Its too easy to 'sell' a made up product, especially when you need to sell it (yourself, in this scenario), when you can study the buzz words, employ psychological triggers, and manufacture a glossy image ...I used to be in Show Business, and there you have to do that...if you became a star, it might be because you had talent, but a lot of people have talent.
I don't know...I just am irked at the idea that I need to do much more than own my craft, be the best I can be, make a very presentable professional appearance, have extraordinary skills and experience, be on time, bring in the projects under budget and before due, have good friends I can trust, can give bad news with gentle suggestions for improvement, challenge bad ideas with clarity and logic, promote and educate those working for me, provide those I'm working for with a reason to be proud of their products,....gee, this sounds like an advertisement! ..have I just branded myself? ? lol...
© 2010 Created by bFree on Ning. Create a Ning Network!
You need to be a member of The Empty Cube to add comments!
Join The Empty Cube