Personal brand

30 posts

Is your job search turning into a grind with no end in sight? It may be time to take a step back and reevaluate your entire approach.

In cold weather climates, the beginning of spring is a time to clean the house and get organizedâa practice known as spring cleaning. Through the years, spring cleaning has taken on a larger meaning with people using the time to organize and declutter things in their lives.

For professionals on the job hunt, a little spring cleaning (metaphorically speaking) could be a great way to reinvigorate your job search. Here are a few strategies your job search spring cleaning should include.

Reevaluate Your Job Search Approach

Make a list of the last handful of jobs you applied for and see if you can identify any positive or negative trends. Consider things like:

How did I learn about this job?
How did I apply for the job?
Did I earn an interview?
What was the ultimate result?

A lot can be learned about your job search approach just by answering these questions and identifying patterns. For example:

Negative Trends

You discovered five jobs through job boards, applied to all of them via the job boards, and never heard back from any of them.

The common pattern here is applying through job boards. This isn't to say that job boards don't serve a purpose in the job search process, but they have their limitations, and you can't run your job search entirely off of them. When you apply through a job board, there's a good chance that your materials will never get past the applicant tracking system (ATS) and never be seen by an actual person.

One simple fix is to research who the hiring manager or recruiter is that posted the position and email your materials to them directly.

The more efficient fix would be to take a proactive approach by putting together a bucket list of companies that you want to work for and start making connections on LinkedIn with people who work at those companies. You may already know some people who work there or have connections that can refer you to some individuals.

This is a great way to network your way onto a company's radar.

Positive Trends

You applied to three jobs via referral, were invited to two job interviews, and made it through multiple rounds of interviews for one of the jobs before being passed over for someone with a little more experience.

The pattern here is that getting referred to a job by a professional acquaintance is a great way to land a job interview. This indicates that you're leveraging your network well and you should continue to focus on your networking efforts.

The next step is to review the interview process and determine what went well and what needs to be improved. Sometimes the interviewer will provide feedback, and that feedback can be valuable. However, not everyone is comfortable with giving feedback.

Chances are you probably have a good idea about areas of improvement and the skills you need to gain. Put together a plan for addressing those shortfalls.

The good news in making it deep into any interview process is that it indicates that the company likes you as a potential employee (even if the timing just wasn't right) and the experience could be a roadmap to a job with that company at a later date, or another similar opportunity elsewhere.

Give Your Resume & Cover Letter Some Much-Needed Attention

Are you continuously sending similar resumes and cover letters to each job opening with only minor adjustments? If so, your strategy needs some serious spring cleaning.

Let's start with resumes!

Every resume should be tailored to the position in order for it to stand out to recruiters and hiring managers. It may seem like a lot of work, but it's actually less work than submitting the same resume over and over again and never hearing back.

The reason why it's so important to tailor your resume is that throughout your career, you acquire numerous skills, but the job you're applying for may only be focusing on 6-8 of those skills. In that case, those skills must rise to the top of the resume with quantifiable examples of how you successfully used those skills at previous jobs.

Remember, recruiters go through hundreds of resumes. They need to be able to tell from a quick glance whether or not you're a potential candidate for the position.

While updating your resume, you could also spruce up your LinkedIn profile by highlighting the skill sets that you want to be noticed for by recruiters.

As for writing a good cover letter, the key to success is writing a disruptive cover letter. When you write a disruptive cover letter, you're basically telling a story. The story should focus on how you connect with the particular company and job position. The story could also focus on your personal journey, and how you got to where you currently are in your career.

If your resumes and cover letters aren't unique, now is the time to clean things up and get on track.

Build Your Personal Brand

Just because you're looking for work doesn't mean that you don't have anything to offer. Use previous career experiences and passions to build your personal brand.

Ask yourself, "How do I want other professionals to view me?"

Pick an area of expertise and start sharing your knowledge and experience with your professional network by pushing out content on your LinkedIn and social media accounts. Good content can include blogs, social media posts, and videos.

By sharing content about your experiences and passions, you slowly build your personal brand, and others will start to notice. The content could lead to good discussions with others in your network. It could also lead to reconnecting with connections that you haven't spoken to in years, or making new connections.

You never know when one of these connections could turn into a job lead or referral. The trick is to get on people's radars. So, when you're cleaning up your job search, be sure to build a plan for personal branding.

Maintain Healthy Habits During Your Job Search

Your job search is important, but it's even more important to know when to pull back and focus on personal health and spending time with family and friends.

There are actually things that you can do for your own enjoyment that could help your job search in the long run, such as:

Grab coffee with a friend - It's good to engage in light conversation with friends during challenging times. And if your job search does come up, remember that most people have been through it themselves and you never know when a friend may provide you with a good idea or lead on a job.
Volunteer - Volunteering is a great way to get involved in the community and help others. In addition, if you develop a little bit of a career gap while looking for a job, you can always talk about how you filled that time volunteering, if you're asked about it during a job interview.
Continue to focus on other passions - Are you a fitness nut? Blogger? Crafter? Continue to do the things that bring you happiness. And if you're in a position to profit from your passion through a freelance job or side hustle, even better!

Spring is the perfect time to clean up and improve your job search so you can land the job you want. If you're struggling to find a job, follow the tips above to reinvigorate your job searchâand watch your career blossom!

Need more help with your job search?

Become a member to learn how to land a job and UNLEASH your true potential to get what you want from work!

This article was originally published at an earlier date.

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Spring Cleaning: 4 Ways To Fix Your …

How To Make A GREAT First Impression Every Time

In this article, I'm going to tell you how to make a great first impression when you get asked the question, "What do you do?" I've been teaching you the basics of how to craft this message. But now, we're going to dive a little deeper.

Never Answer With Your Job Title!

Just to do a quick recap, the first thing you need to know is to never, ever answer, "What do you do?" with your job title. It's a wasted opportunity.

Second, you need to answer these three questions:

"What do you love to do?"
"How do you do it?"
"What are you going to do with it?"

The last thing you need to know is to incorporate and assess your personality and your workplace personas. How do you like to deliver value? Make sure that your answer incorporates those things.

What Is Your Workplace Persona

A workplace persona is the way you best communicate with your colleagues and get work done. It's how you like to create value at work using your professional strengths. If you don't know what your workplace persona is, I've got the FREE quiz here!

In my case, I am a commander. I'm a take-charge kind of gal. But I'm also an energizer, which means I'm going to deliver with energy and I'm going to try to convey in my explanation that I'm a mentor. I really want to be a visionary. I want to change the world. I am an optimizer. That's the message I want to get across.

If you asked me the question, "What do you do?" I'm going to respond with something like this:

"Well, I love helping people grow their careers. In fact, I'm making it my mission this year to help 10 million people on TikTok grow their careers and land better jobs because school teaches us everything except how to get a job. I know that times are changing and people need this information."

That answer isn't perfect, but you get the point! You know why I'm taking charge of this and why it matters to me. Hopefully, that came across in a way that's more memorable to you.

Managing Your Reputation Is Vital To Achieving Career Success

Everyone has the opportunity to do this. You don't have to be outgoing, but you do have to understand what your workplace persona is and how to use it to your advantage.

Don't waste a valuable opportunity to build your reputation! People cringe when they hear "personal branding," but I can't say it enough. It's just reputation management.

Your reputation matters. And when a recession hits and you lose your job, that is not the time to start managing it. The time is now.

Don't know where to begin? Work It DAILY can help.

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How To Make A GREAT First Impression …

Writing a career change resume can be tricky. How can you effectively market yourself to employers in a different industry when you don't have nearly enough experience as the average candidate applying for the same job as you?

If you're looking to make a career change, optimizing your resume becomes even more important than it normally is. It's also critical to write a disruptive cover letter and make strategic networking and intentional branding the priority.

Follow these five tips for an effective career change resume so you can land your dream job in a new industry.

1. Create An Interview Bucket List

An interview bucket list is a list of 10-20 companies you'd love to work for. Before beginning your job search as a career changer, having an interview bucket list is a must.

How can you identify the right companies to add to your interview bucket list? Well, it's simpler than it sounds. Think about the companies you admireâfor their mission, the product or service they provide, or both. Then, determine whether you could find an opportunity at these companies that aligns with your career change goals.

When creating your interview bucket list, you're ultimately looking for companies you connect with. Why are you passionate about working for them? Tell that connection story in your disruptive cover letter. Then, you'll be able to tailor your resume for specific job openings at these companies, customizing it for each position that you apply for. This leads to our next tip for a career change resume...

2. Highlight Your Transferable Skills

Transferable skills are hard skills that are in demand across many different roles and industries. As a career changer, highlighting your transferable skills on your resume is the key to looking as qualified as possible for the position you're applying for.

Never include soft skills on your resume. It doesn't matter whether you're changing careers or not. Soft skills cannot be quantified. Therefore, they do not belong on your resume.

For example, "detail-oriented" is a soft skill, and "project management" is a transferable skill. You may not have experience managing the types of projects in the industry you're looking to get a job in, but if you have the skill, you'll likely be able to transition into a role that requires project management smoothly.

3. Focus On Your Accomplishments

In the "Work History" section of your resume, you'll want to focus on what you accomplished in previous roles, keeping your transferable skills in mind. For each role you list, you should have at least three bullet points detailing your quantifiable accomplishments.

Employers want to see what you accomplished in your previous roles and how those accomplishments could translate to success in their industry. They don't care what your tasks or responsibilities were. That won't tell them the value you provide as a business-of-one.

What accomplishments are you most proud of in your career? Write those down. Hiring managers will probably be impressed by them too.

4. Avoid Irrelevant Information

Any irrelevant information you include on your career change resume will hurt your chances of getting an interview. Hiring managers spend only seconds reviewing each resume that comes across their desk. If they can't easily identify relevant information, they'll assume you aren't qualified for the position and toss your resume.

Only including relevant information on your resume will be difficult if you're changing careers. But if you follow the tips above, you should be on the right track.

5. Use The "Additional Experience" Section To Your Advantage

The "Additional Experience" section of your resume is the perfect place to showcase more relevant work or volunteer experience for the industry you're looking to switch to.

Did you volunteer at an organization within the same industry? Have you worked on special projects that involved the industry in some way? This section is where you should include any remaining relevant information you believe makes you qualified for the job you're applying for.

These five tips will help you write an effective career change resume. Just remember the importance of strategic networking and intentional branding in your job search as well.

To get your resume in front of hiring managers, you'll likely need to go around the ATS and focus on networking your way into companies by connecting with current employees of these companies on LinkedIn. Customizing your resume, writing a disruptive cover letter, and having a solid networking strategy will help you successfully change careers.

Need more help with your career change resume?

Become a member to learn how to land a job and UNLEASH your true potential to get what you want from work!

This article was originally published at an earlier date.

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5 Tips For A Career Change Resume

Informational interviews are an essential part of a successful job search. Not sure what you need to do? Marcy Twete, author of You Know Everybody! A Career Girl's Guide to Building a Network That Works, offers some great tips for nailing your next informational interview.

1. Give Them Some Options

"The good news is, most people will want to help someone new to the business world," says Twete. "The bad news is, people are busy!"

When you reach out to a potential networking connection, be respectful of his or her time by providing more than just a handful of dates you might be available to meet.

Instead, offer to come to their office or a coffee shop near them, even if it requires a long drive or a train ride on your part. Or ask for a quick 15-minute phone call.

"Someone is much more apt to give you 15 minutes on the phone than an hour in person," says Twete. "If you come to the table with great questions on that call, they'll be more likely to want to meet you and mentor you."

A virtual informational interview is another great option, especially if the company's employees are remote.

2. Do Your Homework

"No one wants to dedicate an hour to a meeting and spend the first 20 minutes talking about things you could learn from a LinkedIn profile," says Twete.

Come with questions that are pertinent to that individual's background and be curious about how that relates to your own potential career path.

Not only will it make you feel more confident, but it can give you topic ideas. Twete suggests finding the answers to these questions before you meet with someone:

Where did he/she go to school?
What does his/her company do?
How long has he/she been in his/her position?

"When a college student or recent graduate meets me armed with great questions and it's clear she has done her research, that's when I'm ready to open my network and help her grow," she says.

3. Keep Your Social Media On Point

"Your online persona introduces you to anyone you're meeting well before you do," says Twete.

In this day and age, you should expect to be googled by employers, recruiters, and other professionals, especially if you're meeting with them.

Make sure your social media profiles are either private or 100% appropriate for business consumption. The last thing you want to do is show off that infamous picture from Spring Break 2010. Not a good look.

In addition to managing your social media presence, consider creating an online portfolio with a .com in your name. Start a blog. Upload your portfolio. Showcase your personal branding statement. This will help you control your online reputation and make you look super professional.

Nothing can help your job search quite like an informational interview. By following the tips above, your informational interview will surely be a success!

Need more help with your job search?

Become a member to learn how to land a job and UNLEASH your true potential to get what you want from work!

This article was originally published at an earlier date.

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3 Things You MUST Do Before Your …

Are you sick and tired of depending on other people for your career success? Good! The only person in charge of your success is you.

If you're feeling trapped by a job you hate, a bad boss, insulting pay, or all of the above, it's time you take ownership of your career. But where do you start?

Here are three things you can do to start taking control of your career today:

Take Inventory Of Your Skill Sets

What are you known for? What are your best skills? What accomplishments are you most proud of? What are your best qualities?

Take some time to list your best skill sets, and how you use those skill sets to add value to a company. Think of all the quantifiable examples of the times your skills have helped previous employers and other examples of your skill sets standing out from everyone else's.

Organizing all of this information will help you build your personal brand and organize how you want to market yourself as a business-of-one to employers.

Start Being Proactive In Your Career

If you want to take ownership of your career, you need to stop being reactive and start being proactive. Reactive activities include but aren't limited to the following: waiting for your boss to give you a promotion, waiting for recruiters to reach out to you with new opportunities, or waiting for employers to email you back about your resume.

Notice that all of these "job search activities" started with the word "waiting." Newsflash: Waiting doesn't get results. Taking action does.

Instead, set up a meeting with your boss to discuss advancement opportunities or make a bucket list of companies that you want to work at, and then reach out to employees at those companies to connect, and maybe even set up informational interviews.

It's also important to submit your cover letter and resume to an actual person when applying for a job, and following up with that hiring staff.

Build Your Professional Network

The old saying, "It's who you know," has never rung more true. Get by with a little help from your career friends! Focus your efforts on building your professional network. Meet new people within your industry and bucket list companies. Start conversations and build relationships with them.

Even if you're not ready to find a new job or change careers yet, having these people in the wings as references, mentors, and professional contacts will help you tremendously. They can provide tips and insight, act as a sounding board for ideas, and even hook you up with a job. Just make sure you help them out in return!

Step Out Of Your Comfort Zone

Part of your new, proactive approach is to step out of your comfort zone. Many people hold themselves back solely because they are afraid of what people might think. But remember, nothing will change if you don't!

Make an effort to put yourself out there and meet new people. Set up informational interviews with like-minded professionals, strike up a conversation with someone at a conference, and attend in-person or virtual networking events.

If you're ready to achieve career success, take ownership of your career today by following the tips above. What is your business-of-one capable of?

Need more help with your career?

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This article was originally published at an earlier date.

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4 Ways To Take Ownership Of Your …

You've certainly heard that using a powerful personal brand message will make your executive resume a compelling readâand help you gain traction in your job search. But how do you go about defining and capturing your brand?

Intensive processes, such as the 360 Reach Personal Branding exercise, can often help pinpoint your brand elements and strengths. However, you can conduct your own research and analysis to create a compelling message suitable for your executive resume.

While pinpointing your own personal brand (and writing a compelling executive resume from it) may seem daunting, you can break the process into these manageable steps:

1. Reflect On Your Leadership Value-Add

One of the easiest ways to encapsulate your message of ROI is by taking stock of how you solve problems and deal with obstacles at an executive level. If you're having difficulty expressing your value proposition, try creating a list of your top 10 career achievementsâthe ones that have become your signature accomplishments over the years. (Think of it as your top 10 hitsâthe ones you've always thought of as defining your career and its trajectory.)

Any of the following can make your top 10 hits:

Turnarounds (at a team, division, or company level)
New sources of revenue
Cost-cutting methods
Additional sales and distribution channels
New products or markets
Speed and agility in delivering results

Next, write STAR (Situation or Task, Action, Result) stories for each top achievement, remembering to set the stage for each story by looking at the situation first, then your actions, and lastly, the outcome. J.T. O'Donnell, founder and CEO of Work It DAILY, also recommends the "Experience + Learn + Grow" model to formulate stories for employers. While tedious work, you'll benefit from having this collection of powerful anecdotes in your job search.

2. Analyze And Leverage Feedback From Throughout Your Executive Career

Consider your reputation at work, influence on others, and leadership style (all critical components of an effective executive resume). Are you known as the go-to leader who builds consensus when negotiations are at a standstill? Have you become a turnaround leader capable of righting the ship? Chances are that you've carved out a unique nicheâand prospective employers need to know this about you!

Take the time to gather information from those affected by your work:

Analyze your impact on subordinates. Do you often mentor your teams into company or industry leaders?
Look at those you've influenced, such as vendors or colleagues. Have they adopted your methods or commended you on your effectiveness?
Assess your impact on the executive team and board. Do you build the business case and buy-in that lead your CEO to issue changes in strategy?

Now, assemble testimonials and feedback from credible sources, such as performance reviews, LinkedIn recommendations, letters of reference, or other kudos (even informal email messages). Create STAR stories from this data, and consider including a snippet or quote in your executive resume for additional reinforcement.

3. Include Tactical Details And Scope

Executive resumes aren't just high-level lists of achievements. To be truly compelling, the scope and reference points from your work need to be included as supporting details.

Consider pulling in specifics from among the following components of each job:

Size of budgets managedâboth department and project-level
Cost-saving figures that show the result of new processes or negotiations
Numbers of employees managed, both directly and in matrixed organizations
Comparisons that show progression (such as year-over-year increases in market share)

What these details will do for your executive resume is help round out your story, showing how your authority and impact have increased at each progressive step of your career. It's all about the numbers!

4. Look To Others For Comparison

You may have started to look at the data for your executive resume with a critical eye. What if it isn't good enough to vault you to the next level in your career? How will employers know you've led significant change if there are minimal cost or profit results to report?

One of the best ways to distinguish yourself from the competition is to look precisely at them and gauge the difference based on context.

Here's how to weigh your competitive differentiators:

Analyze what would have happened at previous employers if you hadn't worked there. Would the company or division have floundered? Is it possible employees stayed only because of your influence?
Look at what took place against the backdrop of the economy or industry challenges. For example, did your efforts keep the company afloatâeven if they didn't realize the same level of profitsâbecause of actions that counteracted the downturn?
Take note of what occurred at competing companies. Were you maintaining operations while your competitors went out of business?

These sure signs of effectiveness will help add a twist to your STAR storiesâemphasizing your ability to take on and overcome challenges that others failed to achieve.

5. Build Brand And Achievement Statements To Use Throughout Your Resume

Now that you've collected all this data, what's the next step? Pulling it together into a cohesive story, of course.

Here's where the stories you've built will serve as key components of your brand message and can be used in various places within your executive resume:

Ensure your STAR stories are in manageable form, using bullet points that take up two lines or less for use on your executive resume.
Distill your most prominent STAR stories into a simple message. As an example, an EVP of marketing who launched new products could note "carving a profitable new industry niche" as a statement of brand value.
Look at executive resume examples for inspiration.

Undertaking these steps is, of course, a time-consuming exercise in exploring your achievements and examining your brand. However, it will pay off in a cohesive message of value to employersâand help them see the value in bringing you in for a choice executive role.

Need more help with your job search?

Become a member to learn how to land a job and UNLEASH your true potential to get what you want from work!

This article was originally published at an earlier date.

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5 Steps To A Powerful Personal Brand …

The job interviewâthis is where it all really begins! While your resume may have impressed the hiring manager and helped you get your foot in the door, now you really have to bring home those points on the resume in person. Failing to convey the right message in the job interview means it is game over!

Don't expect a callback from the employer if you fall short of conveying key messages. There's a lot that can be done to prepare for the job interview so that you go into it confidently. However, it's one thing to be prepared and it's another thing to perform well in the job interview.

Along with proper preparation, here are three things you must convey in the job interview...

You're A Go-Getter!

Employers desire employees who have a real passion for the work. During the job interview, demonstrate that desire, passion, and excitement for the challenges that lie ahead with the position.

Make the interviewer believe you'll be able to hit the ground running on the job by demonstrating you have the experiences and skills to succeed on the job. Ask what the biggest challenge is and present examples of previous relevant work where you've been in a similar situation and what you accomplished and achieved.

The research you've done ahead of time should also allow you to demonstrate that you are knowledgeable about the company, its business, and more.

You Fit Right In!

Fitting right in is not so much about being agreeable but being likable. Come off as friendly and share your understanding of working in a workplace like the employer's. Ask questions during the interview to further understand the type of work environment that exists and then make an effort to demonstrate you have similar experience working in such an environment.

Another way to create the feel that you'll fit right in is by building rapport with those you speak with. The interview should not take on a model of a Q&A session; you want to turn it into a dynamic conversation. Find ways to build rapport that will help show how well you understand the ins and outs of the business and working in a workplace like theirs.

You're A Character With Great Personality!

Hiring managers understand that job candidates may come into a job interview nervous, but those who are able to overcome their nerves and show some personality are more memorable and attractive as a candidate for the job opening.

When you present your personality, it's easier for employers to see how you stand out from other job candidates. Presented the right way, you can also come off even more likable.

When there's the opportunity for it, don't be afraid to add to the conversation by talking about your personal quirks or likes. It's what makes you you! When there is a lack of personality in a character, the individual can come off as boring and dry. It also doesn't hurt to show how you differentiate from the next candidate with similar experience and skills.

Find opportunities throughout your job interview to weave into the conversation these three things above. In the end, you'll come off as a more memorable and desirable candidate for the job!

Need more help with your job search?

Become a member to learn how to land a job and UNLEASH your true potential to get what you want from work!

This article was originally published at an earlier date.

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3 Things To Convey In Your Job …

If you're an executive at a large organization or previously served in such a position, you likely have experience working in large groups or teams. When working in a group to accomplish a goal, have you ever thought about your decision-making style and how it impacts others?

Getting a better understanding of your decision-making style and its impact on others is a quality of a good leader. This subject was discussed in a recent Executive Office Hours session inside Work It DAILY. Executive Office Hours is available exclusively for Work It DAILY's executive-level subscription members.

Decision-Making Styles

There are four basic decision-making styles that people fall under in a team setting:

North - A person with this style likes to take action and figure things out as they go along.
East - This person is a little more pensive with their decision making. They like to look at the bigger picture and consider all options.
South - This person likes to get a better understanding of the team dynamic and make sure that everyone's feelings are taken into consideration.
West - This person likes to pay attention to details and is always interested in knowing the who, what, when, where, and why before acting.

Why It's Important To Know Your Decision-Making Style

If you want to be a good leader, it's important to understand your decision-making style. When leading a large team of people, you'll quickly find out that everyone views teamwork differently. By understanding how everyone makes decisions, you're able to set a direction for the team in which everyone feels includedâand potentially avoid clashes among group members.

When team members don't feel comfortable with the team's approach, they feel less engaged with the company, and that unhappiness often leads to staff turnover.

Understanding the four decision-making styles also allows you to take a step back and look at the bigger picture. You can evaluate the strengths and limitations of your style, while better communicating your style with colleagues. You also get a better understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of your colleagues' decision-making styles.

Your Decision-Making Style Is Part Of Your Executive Brand

If you're an executive looking for a new job, knowing your decision making-style is also a good way to see if you'll fit in with a prospective employer. If you get a sense during the interview process that the company's decision-making style process is the opposite of yours, it's something to consider before taking the job.

Ultimately, your decision-making style fits into your workplace persona, which makes up your executive brand.

If you're unfamiliar with your workplace persona, try Work It Daily's FREE Career Decoder Quiz. Understanding how your decision-making style and workplace persona work together will help you determine your professional strengths so you can market yourself more effectively to employers.

Topics like this and more are discussed every week in Executive Office Hours. In addition to a weekly presentation, each session includes personal stories and updates from other executives in the group.

Are you interested in having access to these private sessions? Check out our executive-level membership. Start working with career expert J.T. O'Donnell on your LinkedIn brand and image management today!

This article was originally published at an earlier date.

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What’s Your Executive Decision-Making Style?

In a world where life's challenges seem to test us at every turn, I embarked on a transformative journey over five years agoâa journey that has led me to embrace the power of an abundance mindset. As a thirty-something striving to find my way in a fast-paced and demanding world, I've learned firsthand that progress is a product of practice, patience (not exactly my forte), and rewiring my thought patterns. Yet, amid this personal evolution, I stumbled upon a game-changer, a hidden gem that propelled my growth to astonishing heights: community.

I've experienced firsthand how building a strong network of like-minded individuals who support and challenge you can elevate both your career and personal trajectory. It's not just about having the right people in your network, but also knowing how to network effectively. Let's dive into the key elements that can help you foster a community for your career and personal success.

Surrounding Yourself With The Right People

I've learned the importance of surrounding myself with diverse individuals who share my passions and vision. Seeking out mentors, colleagues, and friends who can offer valuable insights and constructive feedback has been invaluable to my professional growth. Beyond traditional settings, I've engaged with people from various industries and backgrounds to gain fresh perspectives.

Leveraging Social Media

In today's digital age, social media platforms have become powerful tools for networking. Platforms like LinkedIn, Twitter, and even TikTok have connected me with industry leaders, potential employers, and peers who share my interests. Engaging in meaningful conversations, sharing my expertise, and participating in relevant groups have allowed me to expand my reach and connect with like-minded professionals.

When utilizing social media, I can relate to those who are âover it.â However, branding yourself is imperative in this day and age, even in job search/career management. Here is a quick strategy I use to keep myself in check on my social media usage.

Think of this strategy like when you go to the grocery store. If you go in with a list, you give yourself guidelines to adhere to: get in, get what you need, get out! If you donât go with a list, things are forgotten, too many snacks are purchased and you blew your budget, and you may have to go back (eek!).

Making a simple strategy for leveraging social media will keep you focused on managing your time, protecting your mental and physical health, and keeping your productivity intact. Follow the "get in, get what you need, get out" strategyâit will keep your social media usage under control.

1.) Get in.

Lead with your content, expertise, or value-add that you want to share with your network. This provides information to your network about you, your expertise, your experiences, etc.

2.) Get what you need (networking is about supporting/nurturing others).

Create a cadence every day or week on how many reach-outs you will make. Whether it's commenting, liking, or messaging other brands/connections, you are supporting another personâs efforts (also valuable to the trust, connection, and rapport of that individual/brand).

3.) Get out!

Log off or immediately swipe away the app on your phone so you arenât tempted to scroll. Just donât do it!

Attending Networking Events

Despite the digital era, face-to-face interactions remain crucial for building authentic connections. I've made it a point to attend conferences, seminars, workshops, and industry events to meet professionals in my field. Approaching these events with an open mind and a genuine interest in learning from others has helped me establish meaningful connections. Following up afterward to solidify those connections is essential.

Reciprocating And Offering Value

Networking is a two-way street, and I've learned the importance of being willing to assist others in their professional pursuits. By offering insights and support, I've been able to build genuine relationships based on reciprocity and mutual trust. Giving back and nurturing my connections in my community has grown my confidence and has also strengthened my network.

Embracing Authenticity And Vulnerability

I have been inspired by so many different people across many industries. Why? Their authenticity and vulnerability. What you think it took to get where they are is only the tip of the iceberg on their true journey. Remember that for EVERY individual you encounter. Embracing my own journey, including the challenges I've faced and the lessons I've learned, has allowed me to foster genuine connections with others. Sharing my story has not only inspired others but also deepened the sense of community we share.

Adopting A Growth Mindset

Approaching networking with a growth mindset has been crucial for my development. Being open to new experiences, challenges, and opportunities and viewing setbacks as learning experiences rather than failures has helped me adapt and grow in my career. Can we just get rid of the word "failure"? (Asking for a friend!)

Elevating My Online Presence

I've taken steps to ensure that my online presence reflects my professional brand. Crafting a well-designed LinkedIn profile and curating content, practicing being on video (I prefer behind the camera but oh well), and maintaining consistent social media activity have enhanced my credibility and given me even more opportunities to connect with others.

Listening And Learning

I've come to understand that effective networking involves active listening. STOP! Read that again! Taking the time to understand the perspectives and experiences of others and learning from their successes and challenges has enriched my own knowledge and understanding.

In conclusion, building a community for your career is about more than just collecting contacts; it's about creating meaningful connections that support your growth and elevate your trajectory. Surrounding myself with the right people, being authentic and vulnerable, and contributing value to my community has been the key to growth. I now understand that success is not a solitary journey but a collective effort toward mutual growth and prosperity.

Ready to take your career to new heights? Start by building a community that fuels your success. Connect with like-minded individuals, embrace authenticity, and make a difference.

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Building A Strong Community For Career Success: …

Recruiters are lurking in the depths of your social media profiles. Are they seeing what you want them to see?

It's no secret that recruiters are looking up candidates online before they move them forward in the hiring process. It makes sense, though. Who doesn't look people, places, or things up online before they commit to them? If you don't, then welcome to the 21st century.

According to a recent survey, 94% of recruiters use social media to find high-quality candidates. And if that doesn't get you hyper-aware of what's out there about you online, this will: 54% of employers have rejected candidates based on the content found on their social networking profiles. Woof.

There are certain things recruiters are looking for when they search for you online. And if you want to make a great first impression on these recruiters, you need to do some recon work.

Is there anything out there you don't want them to see? If so, take it down.

While you're cleaning up your social media, you should take some time to give recruiters what they want too. During these online searches, recruiters are eager to learn certain things about you, and there are specific qualities/behaviors they are looking for when they're checking out your online presence. So, it's important you make those things easy for them to find.

Recruiters want to know that...

1. You Know Your Stuff

If you've been bragging that you're an expert in whatever it is that you do, you better back it up. What proof do you have that what you're claiming is true?

You know recruiters, employers, and clients are going to be looking for you online, so have something to show them. Brand yourself as an expert in your field by starting a blog or creating an online portfolio of your work.

2. You're Not Bad-Mouthing Your Former Employer

If you're trashing your old boss, colleagues, or company all over the Internet, you need to sit down because (surprise) recruiters are not impressed. In fact, they're thinking something like this: "If we hire them and, for some reason, they don't work out, what if they bash us all over the web? That's not a good look for our brandâ¦"

So, please don't broadcast your woes all over the internet.

3. You Have A Personality

Now more than ever, companies are hiring people based on their "fit" instead of just their work experience. Employers are realizing that hiring the wrong person can completely throw off a team dynamic and cause workplace issues that can affect the business.

So, finding people who share the same values, passions, and goals is becoming more and more important.

4. You're Not Posting About Inappropriate Stuff

This is a huge red flag for employers and recruiters. According to a recent study, employers have little tolerance for bigoted comments and mentions of illegal drugs. Stay clean, my friends.

The good news? They don't care so much about your beer pong photos anymoreâas long as drinking isn't the only thing you post about. So yay for that!

These are just a few things recruiters are looking for when they search for you online.

Of course, each recruiter has different things they want in a job candidate, so make sure you do your homework. That way, you can prove that you're a great candidate to bring in for a job interview.

Need more help with your job search?

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This article was originally published at an earlier date.

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4 Things Recruiters Are Looking For When …

If you've never been on LinkedIn before, it can be a little overwhelming. That's why we created a 5-step quick guide for getting started on LinkedIn.

Take a look at our 5-step quick guide below and find out how to optimize your LinkedIn profile for career success:

Step 1: Update Your Resume

The first step is to make sure your actual resume is updated. Once you've done that, then you can transfer the data to your LinkedIn profile.

You always want the information on your resume and LinkedIn profile to be the same. Recruiters and hiring managers like consistency!

Step 2: Change Your Privacy Settings

Your resume is doneâgreat! Now, it's time to start adding information to your LinkedIn profile.

Before you add anything, though, make sure you change your privacy settings so your profile activity isn't visible until you're done filling out your profile. You don't want your connections to see every single change you make to your profile!

Need help with this? Visit LinkedIn Help for more information.

Step 3: Add Your Information

Once you've adjusted your privacy settings, you can start adding content to your LinkedIn profile. In addition to adding the information from your resume, you can showcase visual accomplishments like PDFs, online articles, and images. Keep your personal brand in mind!

Warning: No information on your profile is suspect, but too much is overkill. Do your best to balance it out and include the must-haves.

Step 4: Optimize Your Profile

After you've added your information to your LinkedIn profile, you must go through and optimize it so it's easier for people (employers, recruiters, and connections) to find and read.

Recruiters and hiring managers conduct keyword searches based on skill sets. Your goal is to optimize your LinkedIn profile with specific keywords that relate to your skill sets so you show up in their results.

Once you've properly optimized your LinkedIn profile, you'll start to get a lot more views from recruiters and hiring managers.

Step 5: Make It A Part Of Your Routine

After optimizing your profile, you need to keep it fresh. The more you participate on LinkedIn, the more it rewards you. It puts you in searches, finds relevant people you can connect with, and so on. So, you should make sure that you're an active user on a regular basis.

"The more you put into it, the more you'll get out of it," says J.T. O'Donnell, Work It DAILY's founder and CEO.

Make an effort to update your information monthly. You should also be active on a daily basis by sharing articles, participating in groups, and keeping up with your connections. This is the surest way to build your personal brand and stand out to recruiters on the platform.

By following these five steps, you'll be off to a great start on LinkedIn!

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This article was originally published at an earlier date.

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5-Step Quick Guide For Getting Started On …

Your resume and LinkedIn profile are incredibly important to your job search. They not only speak to your past accomplishments but also act as a predictor of your future capabilities. However, these two things can't successfully complete this task if they aren't packed with quality information. This includes an outstanding personal branding statement.

What is a personal branding statement? It is a statement that communicates who you are in the workplace. Borrowed from the marketing world, it reflects your professional reputation.

On your LinkedIn profile, the personal branding statement is used to summarize, in just a few words, who you are, what you've done, and what you hope to do in your career. This is why it's so important to take formulaic steps in order to develop one that gets the job done.

Personal Branding Statement Example And Formula

To get started, take a look at a personal branding statement that delivers the goods:

I am a community affairs manager with 10 years of experience visualizing, developing, and organizing company-wide philanthropic events, maintaining connections with hundreds of nonprofit organizations, coordinating diverse employee volunteer opportunities, and creating dynamic external and internal event communications.

Why is it successful? It gives a snapshot of your history in the field while providing branding attributes that describe what makes you successful. Also, it gives examples of previous accomplishments that offer insight into how you can help an employer succeed.

So, which formula could you use to create your own?

1. Consider Your Outlook On The World

It may seem a bit far-reaching to say that your overall outlook on life can create a great personal branding statement, but in actuality, it is your outlook that has guided you to your profession and has helped you develop your talents.

So take time to write down your vision. Do you want people to communicate better with one another? Do you hope to expand the breadth of our already-expansive technology? Think about what it is that can help you create the broad umbrella encompassing all of the specific goals your personal branding statement will incorporate.

2. Think About Your Individual Goals

Again, a personal branding statement is all about showing an employer that you have goalsâand that you not only intend to achieve them in the future but already have in the past.

So, what are your career goals? How do you want to make a difference? Write down what you'd like to achieve along with those skills you possess that can help you attain your goals.

3. Look At Your Attributes And Professional History

Finally, it's important to recognize your brand attributes, then apply them to your professional history. To identify your attributes, come up with at least three nouns to describe yourself as a professional.

Are you a great communicator, leader, visionary, or organizer? Then drum up three sentences that round out your professional history in relation to those attributes (e.g., I have 15 years of experience leading groups through philanthropic efforts). Make sure to quantify this work experience!

After completing these goals, you'll have enough information to create a truly outstanding personal branding statement that not only gives an employer confidence in your ability to succeed but boosts your own confidence as a top professional.

If you're looking for a job, your personal brand determines how much you'll stand out to potential employers in the job search. If you're not branding yourself as a specialist, you could be hurting your chances of landing an interview. So, follow the tips above to write an outstanding personal branding statement today!

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Become a member to learn how to UNLEASH your true potential to get what you want from work!

This article was originally published at an earlier date.

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