Creating A Clean Personal Brand

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Personal branding is how others view what you do and who you are online.

A personal brand in 2019 is a necessity, as so many business and networking opportunities start digitally. An effective personal brand needs to be unique, relevant and appealing. It’s worth spending some time investing in your brand and making it worthwhile.

You may have a personal brand whether you know it or not. When job hunting, it’s even more critical. It’s estimated 93% of hiring managers will review a candidate’s social profile before making a hiring decision. Is your profile helping or hurting you? Here are some ways to build and maintain a clean personal brand for 2019.

  1. Polish Your Online Profiles - Clean up your photos (including tagged photos), make sure your bios are up-to-date and reflect your most recent experiences and goals.

  2. Google Yourself - Make sure the results link to profiles you’d be proud for employers to see. If not, make changes. Deactivate the social sites you’re no longer active on and refresh the profiles you still use as a great starting place.

  3. Highlight Your Uniqueness - What makes you different from everyone else? Is it your experience in a certain field or perhaps it’s your cross-channel expertise. Make sure your unique skills are showcased within your personal brand.

  4. Be Authentic - Your social media accounts are important but your personal brand extends beyond them. The way you hold yourself, your interactions, and the values you portray in real life (both inside and outside work) set the stage for your personal brand. Online profiles are important but don’t get too caught up in the online portion of building a personal brand and overlook authentic, true interactions.

There’s no doubt a poorly defined personal brand can be detrimental to your professional image. If you don’t define an image for yourself, others will define one for you. And it won’t necessarily show your best side. At the Wilbanks Consulting Group, our team can help you portray a polished personal brand that speaks to your goals and depicts your experiences. Get in touch with our team to learn more.