"You Google other people, so don't you think they're Googling you?" LinkedIn founder Reid Hoffman asks. "Part of a networked world is that people will be looking you up, and when they do, you want to control what they find." Helping you present yourself well online is just the start.
Feels like I should say "I told you so".
I won't, but I am glad to see I'm in good company.
A few days ago I posted this personal branding presentation. Today, the latest Fortune magazine showed up. With this article in it. It's titled 'How LinkedIn Will Fire up Your Career'.
Ironically, two seconds before I saw this I hung up from a great recruiter and good friend who was telling me how he'd just landed a recruiting contract with a high profile business organization here in Canada. You know how they found him? LinkedIn. You know how they picked him? On the basis of the quality of his profile. His LinkedIn profile proved to them 'he got it'. Does yours?
It works!! Get on it (yeah you. Stop acting like this stuff doesn't matter!)!!
Showing posts with label how to personal brand. Show all posts
Showing posts with label how to personal brand. Show all posts
Thursday, April 1, 2010
Monday, March 29, 2010
Really Stand Out - The 5 P's Personal Brand Planner
Here's a presentation based on the advice I'm passing on to clients and contacts. Lots of people are starting to get this: branding transcends jobs (it's too late when you've been fired)and the internet means regardless of whether you choose to proactively participate or not, others are. Students. Business leaders. Those interested in 'encore' careers.
The simple steps here work. First use the basic planner. I guarantee it will send you straight to your LinkedIn and Twitter pages!
The simple steps here work. First use the basic planner. I guarantee it will send you straight to your LinkedIn and Twitter pages!
Tuesday, March 16, 2010
Learning to Speak - Today's Lesson: Voice
I was back at it today. With my public speaking coach.
We started by reviewing what I'd learned from last week.
"Umm. I learned about posture" I said, slumping in my seat.
"Very funny", she said. "Let's talk fear triggers."
"Fear triggers?!" I yelped.
Actually, it was a relief. Seriously. In about 30 seconds she nailed what it is that makes me very nervous at times as a public speaker. Intimidation. With a half baked speech and an audience full of experts I get intimidated.
Very nicely, she positioned it as something almost natural. Her solution? NEVER give a half-baked speech (ok, there was more to it but that's really the bottom line).
I'll try.
From there we moved to voice coaching. This was a FASCINATING experience.
If you remember the post from my first session - for all my public speaking deficiencies - my voice is my greatest asset. And no different today. Today we went through a detailed analysis and overall I got an 8.5 out of 10 - a very high rating. Right? (come on, yeah, that's pretty good.)
Then, we did exercises in volume, pitch, rate, tension and relaxation. Not all easy. In fact some felt downright stupid. I took notes. I practiced. We even did tongue twisters (I'm horrible).
But, these are great exercises.
Then, I did a re-reading of the presentation I'd prepared.
Taped.
And SERIOUS progress.
Then, we did 10 minutes of relaxation exercises.
Then I did another read. HOLY, FRIGGING, SMOKES.
Different person. Different voice. Different read.
I can still picture the smile on my coaches face. It's not like this is new to her. She's seen it a thousand times before. But wow. Considering how little time I'd really had to change, the change was remarkable.
So yeah, I'm going back. And REALLY looking forward to it.
You know what's on the menu?
Storytelling.
Some of you know me. You've heard me tell a story. YOU CAN WAKE UP NOW!!!
And by next Tuesday - you won't recognize me.
I'll let you know how it goes.
We started by reviewing what I'd learned from last week.
"Umm. I learned about posture" I said, slumping in my seat.
"Very funny", she said. "Let's talk fear triggers."
"Fear triggers?!" I yelped.
Actually, it was a relief. Seriously. In about 30 seconds she nailed what it is that makes me very nervous at times as a public speaker. Intimidation. With a half baked speech and an audience full of experts I get intimidated.
Very nicely, she positioned it as something almost natural. Her solution? NEVER give a half-baked speech (ok, there was more to it but that's really the bottom line).
I'll try.
From there we moved to voice coaching. This was a FASCINATING experience.
If you remember the post from my first session - for all my public speaking deficiencies - my voice is my greatest asset. And no different today. Today we went through a detailed analysis and overall I got an 8.5 out of 10 - a very high rating. Right? (come on, yeah, that's pretty good.)
Then, we did exercises in volume, pitch, rate, tension and relaxation. Not all easy. In fact some felt downright stupid. I took notes. I practiced. We even did tongue twisters (I'm horrible).
But, these are great exercises.
Then, I did a re-reading of the presentation I'd prepared.
Taped.
And SERIOUS progress.
Then, we did 10 minutes of relaxation exercises.
Then I did another read. HOLY, FRIGGING, SMOKES.
Different person. Different voice. Different read.
I can still picture the smile on my coaches face. It's not like this is new to her. She's seen it a thousand times before. But wow. Considering how little time I'd really had to change, the change was remarkable.
So yeah, I'm going back. And REALLY looking forward to it.
You know what's on the menu?
Storytelling.
Some of you know me. You've heard me tell a story. YOU CAN WAKE UP NOW!!!
And by next Tuesday - you won't recognize me.
I'll let you know how it goes.
Friday, March 12, 2010
Personal Branding - The Risk of Leaving it to Others
Personal branders need to Google themselves. Like it or not, if you've got any kind of brand you will show up there.
Not there? Not much of a brand.
Even worse - there's some dude with your name dancing around naked? On the first page of Google. Under video results??!!
Like this guy.
Jim. Seriously? This is disturbing stuff. How drunk were you? Actually, you don't look that drunk. Are you just prone to taking your clothes off and looking goofy? Really? Can't you see you're giving us all a bad name? And now that you've established your personal brand, how's the career and job search going? Hopefully you're not a teacher are you?
I hate using me as the example in this case - but THANK GOODNESS I've established myself on-line in ways that 1) hopefully make it clear to most people that the guy dancing around naked ISN'T ME (if nothing else I'm a way better dancer) and 2) help dilute the overall negative impact that might be created by this video.
Imagine if the only Jim Crocker content on the internet was this video? Then, what might people think about me? What might my brand be worth?
Lots and lots of people continue to resist the notion of exerting some control over their on-line brand. And, on one hand - I get it.
But keep in mind that the best case when you do nothing on-line is that you go invisible. What's more likely is you will show up in random ways that may say lots - or nothing - about you.
Worst case, your brand image gets controlled by others.
Who may not care as much about your brand as you do.
Not there? Not much of a brand.
Even worse - there's some dude with your name dancing around naked? On the first page of Google. Under video results??!!
Like this guy.
Jim. Seriously? This is disturbing stuff. How drunk were you? Actually, you don't look that drunk. Are you just prone to taking your clothes off and looking goofy? Really? Can't you see you're giving us all a bad name? And now that you've established your personal brand, how's the career and job search going? Hopefully you're not a teacher are you?
I hate using me as the example in this case - but THANK GOODNESS I've established myself on-line in ways that 1) hopefully make it clear to most people that the guy dancing around naked ISN'T ME (if nothing else I'm a way better dancer) and 2) help dilute the overall negative impact that might be created by this video.
Imagine if the only Jim Crocker content on the internet was this video? Then, what might people think about me? What might my brand be worth?
Lots and lots of people continue to resist the notion of exerting some control over their on-line brand. And, on one hand - I get it.
But keep in mind that the best case when you do nothing on-line is that you go invisible. What's more likely is you will show up in random ways that may say lots - or nothing - about you.
Worst case, your brand image gets controlled by others.
Who may not care as much about your brand as you do.
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