Personal Branding - How it is important for your career and professional growth?

 As a extrovert who is always keen on building people network and sustaining relationships,  I became an expert speaker on 'Personal Branding'  at few events and online webinars.  Someone who slowly but steadily created a vibrant digital persona, have been many a time asked is it important?   Yes is one word answer.   Why is a little longer post given below!!!

Today, what we are an what is reflected in the digital world and the presence of the digital footprints we create denotes who we are!!! It is a direct relativity to our though process, networking abilities and real YOU!   Unless you are true to what you are consistently,  you cannot be showcasing the REAL YOU in this world that can verify and validate at the tip of the fingers in the search crazy world!

Sharing Achievements and Awards

1. It is very important we communicate our achievements

2. Why these achievements are important to share is to reflect on your skills and performance

3. Verified achievements are testimony to your hardwork

4. Important to create your own personal brand

5. First step to connect with likeminded people and to people who inspire you

6.  Effective networking doesn’t happen over night

7.  Consistent achievements and awards leverages you at the level you ought to be

Networking is the new currency

1.  Connecting with right people is very important for career growth

2. Observing and reaching out to people 2 levels above you will inspire to grow to their level

3. People who are successful can guide you with their learnings and mistakes

4. connecting with right stakeholders,  people who are key to influence in the organization etc will help

5. Connect with people in industry and industry bodies like NASSCOM, eWIT, MSME, STPI, etc related to your field

6. Follow people whose career path you want to succeed in

7. Identify and reach out to those who can be your sponsors, coaches, or mentors

8. Plan on what you can do for those in your network in terms of value addition

9. Plan and meet regularly in forums, social events, seminars, workshops, and conferences etc

10. If you believe in yourself, do not hesitate to reach out and ask for recommendations or introductions

Using Social Media effectively

1.  A very reliable LinkedIn Profile is the key

2.  Make it powerful by keeping the data with information

3.  Use key words to introduce your skills and strengths

4.  Never use a vacation picture, use professional looking photo

5.  Do not use nick names or short names-  Use proper professional names to identify you

6.  Create a powerful professional headline using all 100+ characters to clearly define you

7. Do not forget to update your location, industry vertical and customising your profile URL

8.  You need to be active in the platform sharing your knowledge and interacting with industry peers

9. Do not hesitate to showcase your certificates, proprietary work, accolades etc

10. Give endorsements and do not hesitate to ask for recommendations

11. NO longer volunteering is considered as an add-on but as part of formal work responsibility

12. Getting connected to your colleagues and professional connects is important

13. Keeping your contact information available - at least by email is required

14. Trust and credibility is achieved slowly and steady based on people in your network

15.  Keeping in touch with your previous organizations and ex-colleagues is a strength

16. Do not hesitate to join recommended and relevant LinkedIn groups.  This helps to follow industry news, updates and keep in pace with trending conversations

17. Publish major achievements, milestones, and changes in professional career in your profile updates as needed

18. Share your LinkedIn URL link in your email signatures

19. Check your profile settings to make your profile visible publicly

20. Use keywords that make your profile appear in search engines

Personal Branding is Key

1.Your activity on social media indicates the 'Digital You'

2. Consistently making your presence creates much needed virtual visibility

3. Promote your work and achievements - No one else will do it for you

4. #hastags provide relevance to your posts for people to follow, comment and connect

5. Involve in healthy discussions in the topics of your expertise

6. Important to stay in touch with stakeholders and relevant groups

7. Do not involve in any radical, religious, controversial, political and any other discussions that may affect the sentiments or hurt others

8. Participate in surveys and polls and give your genuine feedback

9. Sharing knowledge is also gaining more of it.  So do online sessions, Knowledge sharing sessions and participate in industry forums

10. It is important to respond than react to queries and share your views

11. The content you once create in digital space is permanent, though you may delete later, it will have a copy somewhere.  So be careful of what you post

12. Participate in events that enrich your learning

13. Share only what you are sure is good for others

14.  Regular posts will improve your engagement in social media

15. In case you are posting something copied, please give due credits and references

16. Spend time reading Newspapers, whitepapers, case studies and other people's recognitions

17. Remember to create original content that will always have more value

18. The audience of your posts is important.

19. Having individual strategy on what you want to be identified as is very important.  The contact you post, the stories you tell, the personal experiences you share, the media visuals you use, everything will grab attention and remember you are closely watched

20.  It is very very important that we get the social validation for who you are.  It may happen with one viral post or slow and steady progress you make.  There is no magical wand for this to happen. 

Successful people are those who leave behind a legacy!

Today, successful people are those who leave behind strong and sensible digital footprints!!!

Images are from Internet.