Everyone today needs to be thinking about their professional brand. This is no longer for a select few, but for the masses.
Your professional brand is how the world will perceive you. Companies, customers, organizations, and anyone interested in learning more about you will come to understand who you are and what you do through your professional brand.
The good news is you can shape it. You can determine what the world knows about you and how that information is presented.
One of the easiest and most effective ways to begin managing your professional brand is to create a profile on LinkedIn. Here are three reasons why I believe this to be true.
1. LinkedIn is Free
Last year, while connecting with people online and exploring the internet, I began to notice that some people have a personal website. It may have a blog, or it may not. Basically, it includes the persons skills, experiences, etc., and maybe even tells their story. It will usually also have a page that showcases their resume. While this may be a good option for some, websites cost money.
LinkedIn, on the other hand, allows you to create a profile on their platform that showcases a summary, your experience, your skills and expertise, your education and more, and will not charge you a dime.
2. LinkedIn is Ubiquitous
Another reason to use LinkedIn to begin managing your professional brand is that it’s ubiquitous. Most everyone knows about LinkedIn and it is everywhere. With over 200 million members, and being that it is a publicly traded company, it is a well known and credible platform.
3. LinkedIn is Google Friendly
When I put my name in the Google search bar and hit enter, LinkedIn shows up second on the list, my blog show up first.
So when you have a profile on LinkedIn and a potential employer, customer or other individual interested in learning more about you searches your name on Google, LinkedIn will show up high in that search.
This is good news because you decide what information you will put on LinkedIn and how you will position yourself.
If you would like to learn more about LinkedIn, especially in connection with your job search, visit www.linkedin.com/jobseeker, to watch a short video by Lindsey Pollak, best-selling career advice author and LinkedIn spokesperson.
Why not give LinkedIn a try today!
Question: How do you use social media to manage your professional brand?
Photo by: Sheila Scarborough
