Personal Branding Erika Penner HR Professional

MBA / Masters in Conflict Resolution

Agenda

•What is a personal brand?

•Where do I start?

• How do I showcase my personal brand to potential employers?

• How do I choose the right internship or career path?

• How do I communicate my personal brand during the interview?

Personal Branding

The goal is to influence others by

emphasizing your personal

strengths and differentiating

yourself from others.

Similar to a corporate brand, your

personal brand is simply “how you

package yourself.”

Elements of a Personal Brand

• Personal Image/Personality

• Competencies

• “The Differentiator”

Personality includes self confidence

How to Start Personal Branding

Based on your personal goals: Consider your strengths and what you want to project to potential employers

Write a 15 word (or less) description of yourself

“HR professional with advanced cross-cultural communication skills and extensive experience in employee

training and development”

 

Step One: Way to startThis could be included on the top of your resume

How to Showcase Your Personal Brand

• Resume / Cover Letter

• Social Media

• Portfolio

• Interview

All three need to send an honest, consistent message to your

potential employer.

Resume Basics

•Be Specific: Edit your resume for each position you apply for.

•Length: 1 page is desired, 2 pages max!

• Format: Highlight experiences in order of importance (I recommend: education, internships, then projects and affiliations last)

•Errors: Have at least 2 other people edit your resume before you send it out. Must be absolutely 100% flawless!

Many people have a generic “objective” tailor it to the company and the position, or just leave it out. (I don’t have one)

Errors- Survey that most managers will reject candidacy if they see more than 1 minor error

•30 seconds looking at a resume in order to determine fit. Format matters! (Spacing, fonts)

•Projects that don’t involve some actual real world experience are not highly relevant.

•Quantify whenever possible!

•Professional email address and cell phone message

Resume Strengtheners

The Cover Letter

• 3 Paragraphs maximum! (Remember the 30 second rule)

• Highlight your differentiator (with 1-2 examples) of what you would add to this particular organization.

• Address concerns that they may have when looking at your resume (gaps, lack of experience)

• Show your personality, but remain professional

Social Media Tips The 4 Steps to Personal Branding using social media (Me 2.0, 2009)

www.personalbrandingblog.com

Discover your Personal Brand

Create your Personal Brand

Communicate your Personal Brand

Maintain your Personal Brand

Social Media Pitfalls

•Your online reputation follows

you. Proactively manage it!

•The recruiter will google your

name. Know what comes up and

set a google alert.

•Set your boundaries and stay

true to them.

•Personal websites, Linkedin, and Visual CV all add to your

personal brand. Maintaining is

the hardest part.

Create boundaries and stick to them!

Portfolio

This is part of your personal

brand and is reflective of your professional growth.

•Your resume and portfolio need to be consistent

•Start early! The majority of your

time should be spent thinking about the most effective way to display yourself.

•Don’t let your portfolio speak for you; your portfolio highlights

you as a professional, not the

other way around.

Picking the Right Company or Industry

• Browse company websites! History, values and mission statement, current news.

• Read Job Descriptions.

• Have an open mind! Working for the right company may be more beneficial that having the right job.

• Consider re-locating. The right opportunity may lead you to the ideal career path.

•Use at least 5 online resources

•Use your contacts: Acquaintances, Professors, Classmates, Friends, Family.

•Companies often have their own career website.

•If you are interested in working in bigger cities, contact a recruiter!

Career Search

Interviews Basics

•Always dress in your most professional business attire

•Know about the company. Have questions to ask that refer to your knowledge.

•Make eye contact

•Be prepared with the typical interview questions. Practice out loud.

Bring references and at least 2 copies of your resume to the

interview  

Do not be late or early 

Be confident yourself and enthusiastic about the

opportunity  

Send a thank you email to your interviewers within 48 hours

 Trust your instincts!

Interview tips

~ Telephone Interviews ~

•Telephone interviews are like a first date.

•Be comfortable, prepared and clear on appointment details

•“Tell me about yourself.”

• Don’t ramble

Takeaways

• Take time to evaluate and establish your personal brand now

• Be Authentic and honest! It’s easy to spot a fake

• Don’t be afraid to adjust your personal brand. Self-realization is a necessary process

• Maintain your personal brand and never stop networking.

Resources

• http://www.careerealism.com/

• http://personalbrandingblog.com/

• Me 2.0 By Dan Schwabel

• My Info • penner@uoregon.edu

• penner.erika@gmail.com