The Importance of Maintaining a Consistent Personal Brand

The Importance of Maintaining a Consistent Personal BrandThe Importance of Maintaining a Consistent Personal Brand3Just as businesses of all sizes are protective of their brands, you should be protective of your personal brand, and use it as a tool to build your career. Making personal branding work in your job searchshows that youre boththoughtful and deliberate in your career strategy, and smart about building a personal brand that enhances your profile- and your reputation- both online and in person.Why is it important to maintain a consistent personal brand?Hiring managers are scouring the web, just like everyone else for them, the goal is often researching job applicants. Stay ahead of the game by making sure that when your name pops up in a search engine, theyll find information thats flattering, informative, and shows you in your best light.A consistent personal brand lets potential employers know that youre goal-oriented and have a master plan for your career- or at least a f ocused strategy to achieve your goals.A consistent personal brand is a marketing tool that serves as your own personal billboard, one that evolves and changes over time. Use your personal brand to tell your own story, explain your core values, and offer details about skills and passions that may not come up in traditional job-search formats.What steps can you take to maintain a consistent personal brand?Build a strong social media profile that catches the attention of recruiters. Use LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and other platforms to craft and display a professional profile thats frequently updated with information about your professional assets (skip any personal tidbits that may come across as examples of poor judgment on your part).Blog or create a website to showcase your expertise in a particular area. What better way to show what you know than to create your own content? Providing a professional blog or website with great insightful posts and information thats rele vant to your targeted industry shows youve done your homework when it comes to nourishing a personal brand.As a job applicant, make sure that your resume and cover letter sparkle, are as error-free as you can make them, and are customized for each position. Think of both as calling cards craft them to have an immediate and lasting impact in what may be just the few seconds a recruiter spends reading them.Your professional network affords great opportunities to promote a consistent personal brand. Find ways to grow your professional networkby attending professional events and reaching out to current and former colleagues to market yourself and shape your professional identity.Readers, do you have a strategy for promoting a consistent personal brand? What tips can you share with other job seekers?