Showing posts with label Skills. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Skills. Show all posts

Tuesday, 16 April 2013

The Art of Persuasion! - Book Review

For my first book review this spring, I have chosen Persuasion by Arlene Dickinson. If you don’t already recognize the name, Arlene is one of the fabulous entrepreneurs (and only lady dragon) on the Dragon’s Den on CBC. Before I go any further, I just want to say I thoroughly enjoy this show, but this book is great for those who watch the show and those who don’t.

Persuasion is a book written from Arlene Dickinson’s personal experiences, not a non-fiction books that refers to social science studies and established facts. It made for an interesting read (along the same lines as Kevin O’Leary’s The Cold Hard Truth). The core idea of the book is principled persuasion, a form of positive, relationship-building persuasion. Her main idea is that to persuade others you need to be honest, authentic and reciprocal. Persuading others, whether it is in a business pitch, a job interview or in a personal situation relies on building a connection that is based on trustworthy truth and mutual understanding of each person’s objectives.

Persuasion; Dragon's Den
Persuasion 2011
First off, this premise is really quite unique. When I carried the book around with me, I got a lot of questions from people like: “Persuasion? Why are you reading a book on how to trick people?” or “Who are you hoping to persuade?” These were questions asked with the idea that I was reading a book on how to con people. But, the book in all honesty teaches nothing of the sort. It is an frank book that shows that business and ethics can and should co-exist – a philosophy I happen to support strongly.

Persuasion was very well organized. Each section covers different aspects of persuasion, with chapters that are straightforward and that flow in a logical sequence. The subsections within each chapter do a great job of telling you just what you are about to learn. This makes this an easy read when the reading sessions are broken up.

Arlene does a great job of providing real life examples to support her claims, although some lacked details. When the personal stories got in-depth, it made the reading more interesting and enjoyable. The other reason I enjoyed her stories is because Arlene is a communicator. As the CEO of Venture Communications in Calgary and Toronto, I couldn't help but be in tune with the advice she provided. Her stories about client projects, agency blunders and marketing successes are very relatable to a PR student or professional.

Here are some parts of the book that really stood out to me:
“Some people think that to be good at persuasion you have to be an expert or have a big personality or be a smooth talker or know all the answers. But just the opposite is true: listening and picking up on subtext are at least as important to building emotional connections as anything you say.”
After reading I have started making a conscious effort to listen more and it truly has been rewarding. You don’t truly know what listening is until you really do it. 


“If I can’t understand what you’re talking about, I can’t trust you. Real expertise involves the ability to take complex subject and distill it to the point where it’s accessible to everyone."
This is exactly why being a communicator is challenging, but rewarding. Our successes in communicating clearly make us influencers. 


“Being yourself doesn’t mean being sweet and nice, by the way. It just means not hiding who you really are.”
This one jumped out at me because it is such a common misperception. People think that people who are honest and straightforward are not as real as those who act nice. Think twice. 


“Virtually all entrepreneurs share one really valuable attribute: they see potential all around them.”
This is why I think most communicators are entrepreneurs. We see potential and we build strategy to make the most of it. 


“To move forward, you need to persuade yourself to act, and to arm yourself against the consequences of your decision by deciding beforehand that it’s all right to change your mind down the road, and also all right to make a mistake.”
This is my new mantra. Persuade yourself to move forward and you can take on the world. 


“Confidence is a quiet self-belief, not a loud cry for attention."
For communicators I think this is important to keep in mind.

“If authenticity is about knowing yourself, honesty is about publicly demonstrating and defending your beliefs and principles."
This last one is important for students and young professionals going out in the workforce. I strongly believe in standing by your own principles even if you don’t feel fully confident. Don’t be someone else, be yourself and make a mark.

Arlene Dickinson; CBC
The dragons from CBC's Dragon's Den
Persuasion is full of a wealth of advice and principles that could easily help someone become better at persuading. Some of what Arlene Dickinson says may seem like common sense, but sometimes hearing words from a respectable and successful person really helps ingrain lesson of common sense in your life.

I can’t say I am an ultimate persuader now, but hopefully I have persuaded you to check out this book. One thing I can say is that this book have me a better understanding of how to build strong relationships. And hey, isn’t that what PR is all about?

Do you think you will read Persuasion? If you have let me know what you think of it!

P.S. I love PR

Saturday, 23 March 2013

The 5 Types of PR Internships

Back in December I brought up searching for an internship. More specifically, for an unpaid internship that you can complete while still in your PR classes. If you want to check out more on searching for and finding one check out Step 8.

Since January I have been doing my own PR internship at a small marketing agency that does work for non-profits and municipalities. As of yesterday I am done! It feels great to have the experience under my belt as my job search comes to an apex. But I want to talk about the different types of internships you may encounter. Some people have great internships, others not so much, so I want to look at what me and my peers have gone through with our internships. Always remember - Stay Positive.

The Different Types of Internships

1. The Pain-in -the... I Mean Challenging Internship
This one is where you become the person who does everything for the people in charge. You are a student and an intern, but all of a sudden you are doing the boss's work. Better yet, they don't have to pay you to do their work. And on top of writing up assignments that seem never ending that they infringe on your schoolwork, you are also expected to keep the coffee pot filled. And they may not even give you a thumbs up at the end of it all, which hurts the most.

Quote about FailingLesson: Even when an internship turns sour you need to make the best of it. This kind of experience will help you realize that life isn't fair and jobs aren't always like you imagined. You will get tougher, but from now on you will also treat others beneath you with respect. So at the end of the day, if you get some portfolio pieces and a new outlook on working, consider this worthwhile.

2. The Do-Nothing All Day Internship
This internship has you showing up eager, excited and ready to learn, only to sit staring at a computer screen for most of the day. Maybe they give you a few menial tasks here and there, but you don't feel like you are contributing or accomplishing much. This can be just as bad as being swamped. Because when you are not engaged in your work, you start to become slack and negative.

Lesson: Again make the best of it. Sure you can work on some school assignments, but why not take initiative and suggest some things you can do to help them. They may not know it, but they need serious help with their social media. That is just one example. And if you are afraid they will turn you down, just do it and then show them. They may just like it, and if they do, add it to the portfolio. And get a great reference, that way your time was worth it.

3. The Cat-on-Your-Lap Internship
This one happens sometimes. You choose to do an internship out of someone's home office. They have just started out and they are more than willing to take on a student for free work. But it turns out to be not what you expected. You work in a not so well-lit room in their basement where their cat insists on sitting on your lap while you write media releases.

Lesson: The office doesn't make the experience. You still get to write media releases and have something to put in your portfolio. Besides, cats are awesome, just don't where your good pants. Again make the best of it. Make yourself feel legitimate by setting up a space and bringing some nice pens and notebooks. Now you're in business.

4. The Out-of-Town Internship
So you wanted to get an internship in the big city, but now you are commuting 2 hours one way! Count 4 hours of traveling for an unpaid internship (actually you are paying out of your pocket to do it) that is not guaranteed to go anywhere. You have to wake up at 5 a.m. cause you don't have a car, but at least you are working with real agency people.

Lesson: Sometimes you have to make sacrifices to get great opportunities. Maybe you could have negotiated for them to pay for a bus pass even if they aren't paying you. But regardless, you are proving dedication, so stick with it. Use your commute time wisely and you will no doubt come out with some great references and portfolio pieces.

5. The Why-is-Everyone-in-my-Class-Here Internship
You thought you had snatched up a cool, unique internship right out from under your classmates nose. But wait, a few days after you start, classmates start popping up and now there are 4 of you working there. Now you don't feel so special.

Lesson: This is not a bad thing. The company obviously likes what you and your classmates do. Good news for your PR program. The main thing here is that you may need to work harder to stand out. So do just that. Work hard and don't get slack just because your classmates wants to hang around and joke all day long. Be professional, after all they are your future colleagues as well.

Overall, not all internships are made equal and everyone will feel differently about their situation. Don't compare yours to someone else's. And don't back down, nothing looks worse than someone who doesn't follow-through. No matter the work experience, you have to make the best out of it. I know I said this a lot, but people who can do this tend to go farther professionally.

How do you know if your internship was good? Ask yourself: "Did I learn something new? Did I meet new people? Did you end up with a reference? Did you get a portfolio piece? If you answered yes to at least 3 of these (which most will) then you did great!

How do you feel about internships? What have your internship experiences been like?

P.S. I love PR!

Tuesday, 26 February 2013

Career Advice for PR Students and Grads


Here is my follow-up post on Informational Interviews, you can find the first one on how to do informational interview here.
Thus far I have done 7 informational interviews and have met a significant number of different PR professionals form my area and have learned from first-hand experience. Completing 7 info interviews might seem like a lot, but once you get contacting people you get good at it, it becomes easy and natural. I found that I wasn’t able to meet some people face to face and so I did some Skype and phone interviews as well. Each type had its own feel, but because I was prepared and they were willing to help me, they all went smoothly. The key is making sure the info interviews are helping you and not stressing you out. So while I recommend that all graduating students do some, 7 might not be feasible for everyone.

That being said, I have gathered some interesting insights from a variety of people from different areas of the PR industry. Because I believe in helping my peers and because I want to give my readers some value I will share what these PR professionals so generously shared with me about the skills you need in PR and the advice they have for grads.

Essential Skills for PR
(Other than writing and communication)

1. Business savvy
You need to understand your business, your organization’s priorities and how PR functions within the overall profitability of the business. This means not getting distracted by personal motives or caught up in the PR side without considering the business side.

2. Data management
One of the interviewees told me “The person who has data wins.” In PR, evaluation is everything, so data is essential. The data points to what is working, what is not, why you do certain things and why you don’t do others. When analyzed properly, data is valuable information that can be leveraged to justify what you do, how you do, and most importantly why it works!

3. Perceptive abilities
In PR your job should not just be coming up with ideas, but seeing holes in plan where others may miss. The ability to anticipate reactions, needs, disasters and gaps where others can’t is what will separate you from others. This is why knowing who your stakeholders are key!

Advice for PR Students and Grads
  • Volunteer work is a great way to build your portfolio and skills.
  • Finding a mentor is a great way to learn about your career goals.
  • Join professional organizations to make networking easier.
  • Network and build valuable connections whether it is in-person or via social media.
  • Keep in contact with people you meet, following-up is essential (this means following up with the people you do informational interview with).
  • Stay open to opportunities – say yes and always follow through.
  • Dress the part, no matter what you should look respectable, it shows that you care and that you pay attention to the little details.
  • Make a plan of your goals and be specific. Writing them down makes you more accountable to yourself.
  • Do something every day that will bring you closer to your goals. This will build your momentum and create a self-fulfilling prophecy.
  • You don’t get, if you don’t ask – this requires you to reach out and be proactive in seeking out opportunities.
  • Know what you are asking for (i.e. meeting or job) and know what your give is. When asking for something, make sure you can return the value in some way.

Finally, the great thing I learned from doing informational interviews is how to be confident when meeting people. I feel so much more comfortable in interview settings now and with cold calling people too. I also learned some great advice as shared here!

I hope this helped and if you have advice to share, please comment below. And let me know, how do you feel about informational interviews?

P.S. I love PR.

Monday, 18 February 2013

Step 13 - The Social Resume

Don't Underestimate the Power of Social

Lately I have been seeing a lot of buzz around the topic of Non-Traditional or Social Resumes. I came across this article from Platform Magazine that gives a great overview of non-traditional resumes. But non traditional or not, social resumes are the new it thing. And coincidentally I just finished reading a book by an expert on the subject Miriam Salpeter's "Social Networking for Career Success". In her book, Salpeter covers how to use Twitter, LinkedIn and Facebook in your job search. The topic itself is timely for me as I begin my job search and it has led me to research and question more this idea of using social networks for employment goals.


If you want a career in PR you need to have a successful online presence, and so that is why I have chosen to make this Step 13. I suggest seeking out as much information on the topic as possible and leveraging it to your advantage.

Here I will cover what I learned about Twitter, LinkedIn, other tools and where a social resume can take you, but keep in mind that I am not an expert. These are some of the things I have learned that you may find useful. First, the popularity of social resumes has not gone unnoticed by employers. They are now somewhat expected in PR and marketing anyway. Apparently 92% of employers use some form of social media for recruitment in 2012. This coincides with the increase in social resumes created by job seekers. 88% of job seekers have a social profile, while 64% have two and 44% have three separate profiles on social media.The reason for the use of social resumes is that you are able to include information that goes beyond work experience. You can showcase visuals, creativity and more of your personality. That is why a social resume should remain consistent with your personal brand as I discussed in Step11: Personal Branding 101.

And of course here is a handy Infographic that can sum up some of the research on social resumes.


Social Resume Tools

Twitter
1. Make the best of your Bio
Ideally your Twitter bio should include  your career specializations and goals. You will want to use a professional photo rather than one shot from last Saturday at the club. And to help keep your "personal brand" and online presence consistent, link back to your other sites like LinkedIn, blogs, websites, a Slideshare, Pinterest or whatever link is most useful for you.

2. Tweet like a professional
Tweet about your job search, your industry, or your goals. Make sure your tweets have content and not just hashtags that will alienate followers. Share links that followers will find useful (and use a shortlink to save on space in your tweet). Also, try to avoid tweeting about your personal stuff like trips to the gym, don't use hashtags that don't apply to your tweet just tog get attention, try to tweet some original thoughts or opinions. Doing these things right will make you more retweetable and more credible in your area of focus like PR. And always remember social media etiquette.

3. Who to follow?
It is safe to follow influencers like industry professionals and organizations.You can follow past employers, past colleagues, your school's alumni, professors, companies you're interested in applying to and government bodies that affect your industry. Once you follow someone take a look at what they are tweeting and see if you can join in the conversation to network. Twitter chats are also great to follow. Remember not everyone will follow you back, and that doesn't mean you shouldn't keep them on your own list.

LinkedIn
The advantage of LinkedIn is that every time you connect with one person you are expanding your network (think 6 degrees of separation). Here are some reasons why LinkedIn is a must for your social resume:
  • It is where employers hire from the most in the social networking world.
  • It ranks high on Google and search engines -  this gives you a stronger online presence.
  • It is a solution to staying in contact with the people you meet through networking.
  • It is more professional than Facebook or Twitter - this works well for a personal brand.
LinkedIn is simple to use, but the toughest part may be your personal summary. Make sure to answer these 3 questions:

Who are you?
Who do you want to help?
How are you going to help them?

Once the different sections are filled out do what you can to make your profile complete. You are 40% more likely to come up in search results when you have a profile that is 100% complete compared to 90% complete. That is a huge jump!

I also recommend that you personalize your LinkedIn URL. In edit mode click the edit button beside your current URL and change it to get rid of the useless numbers. Instead use your name and maybe your profession. So for instance mine is danielleaprilboucherpr.

Once this is done you can share your LinkedIn on your other profiles and in your email signature.

Other tools
Some other tools you may want to consider are Blogger, WordPress, Flikr, Pinterest, YouTube, ResumeSocial.com, VisualCV.com, SlideShare and Facebook.These tools can be used to create online portfolios of your work. Finally, after you have put in all this work, you need to optimize it. That's right SEO! There are some great resources out there for enhancing SEO and then you need to monitor. Google Search yourself and see what comes up, use HootSuite, Google Analytics. These are all tools you should know how to work for your job anyway.



You may wonder why a job seeker or recent grad should put in all this effort to create more online presence in their social resume... Well some recruiters are not even considering paper resumes anymore. And joining this trend shows you are ahead of changing times and know what your industry (PR and Marketing) look for in candidates.

If you need an idea for where to start check out this online resume via SlideShare. 
And here are some other ideas that will get your creativity flowing. 

What do you think about Social Resumes? How do you use social networks for employment goals? And do you think paper resumes are a thing of the past?  

I also strongly suggest you check out this blog called Things Career Related, it is full of useful information for job seekers, many of which are applicable for students and recent grads.

P.S. I love PR.

Tuesday, 5 February 2013

Step 12 - The 5 Steps of Informational Interviews


Recently in my PR program at Mohawk, we were given the task of completing an informational interview as an assignment. This was a great way to force us students to realize that we need to get in gear. While I have been networking over the course of this program, I had not conducted an info interview yet and I was excited to get started. In fact, this excitement lead to 4 informational interviews, more than was required. But the thing is, info interview are helpful for my career beyond an assignment, and now is the best time to be doing them.

So I took the time to seek out new contacts and set up info interviews. I have my first one tomorrow, which I will share with you here in a follow-up post. Now I want to take the time to share some knowledge I have gained on info interviews and why they are important for student and soon-to-be professionals.



But wait. Before you go any further here is a caution: informational interviews are not job interviews. Why I am beginning with this forewarning is to clarify misconceptions that you are attempting to get a job from info interviews and ease any hesitations you may have about actually doing info interviews. Also, because info interviews are not filled with pressure and nerves like job interviews are, they should be something you look forward to. They should also be a means to your end of learning more about the industry that you want to work in and the profession that you are striving for. You may be asking why bother with info interviews if you already have a lot on your plate preparing for graduation. Look at it as an opportunity to learn more about the job you may get. It could also lead to a job prospect down the line. And any job opportunity is a good thing.

The 5 Steps of Informational Interviews


1. Make Contact
  • Search out professionals in your field that are located within a traveling distance that you are comfortable with. It is futile to contact someone that you are unable to reach if you don’t have a car. 
  • Contact them (email or phone) to introduce yourself and ask for an interview. Make your intent clear and keep the emails minimal else you become annoying.
*Maintain a positive outlook here as some people may dismiss you if they are busy. Just remember there are many out there willing to help. 

2. Preparation is Key 
  • Schedule a mutually agreeable time to meet, preferably at their office (unless they suggest coffee at a shop nearby). 
  • Research the company they work for so you have an idea of the work they do. This will help you in knowing how to interview them. 
  • Prepare a list of questions to bring along.

3. Do it Professionally
  • Show up to the interview early, dressed professionally. Introduce yourself and immediately thank them for meeting with you. Be honest in why you approached them, and be courteous in not taking up too much of their time. 
  • They may ask to know more about you, so be prepared to answer this question with a 30 second commercial or personal pitch. 
  • You should have a resume handy in case they ask too. But don’t give it to them unless asked.

4. The Q & A 
  • Ask your questions, and take notes. You may want to ask them if you can record the interview with your phone or voice recorder to better capture their answers. 
  • Once the interview comes to a close one of the last questions you ask should be a referral. 
  • Ask them if they know anyone else you should talk to. 
  • Ask them for their business card so you can keep in touch post interview. Even better, show up with your own business card handy as well.

Writing a Thank You Letter
5. The Thank You 
  • Thank them profusely, but don’t act silly. 
  • Follow-up the interview with a formal thank you by email or mail. 
  • Keep in contact, with brief messages, maybe through LinkedIn. 
  • This person is now a connection in your network.

Additional Resources
I also suggest you seek out additional information on informational interviews. This blog post addresses 5 things you should remember that are complimentary to the ones above.
To know more about the types of question check out the list here.
And to know what a Thank You Letter looks like check out this link.

You can also check out my other post of networking for student on the IABC Toronto Blog: Conversations.
What do you think about informational interviews? have you done any?

Stay tuned for more on my informational interviews.
P.S. Good luck with your own.

Sunday, 27 January 2013

The Art of Infographics!

Popularity of Infographics
Lately on Twitter I have been drawn to tweets that present information in infographics. I find it easy to digest a variety of information in one quick read of an infographic and they usually cover topics that are useful or at the very least interesting. I could say that I am a little obsessed... But let me provide you with some reasons why I am not the only one obsessed with the art of infographics.

Some Examples of Infographics
Before I go any further, if you are still unsure what an infographic is, or if you want some inspiration before progressing any further, then here are some links that I recommend:
Here is a list of 40 infographics that cover a range of topics from coffee to typefaces.
This website has a new infographic every day on a variety of random topics.

Why Infographics Work Great for PR
In a world where we are continually bombarded by information, people need to compete to get their message across. This might mean using visuals that are easier to look at than mass amounts of text. So what to do? The answer is infographics. They make information and content fun. And unlike, say long, daunting journal articles, they are virtually designed to be shared through social media, making it not only easier to communicate the message, but to disperse it to readers and viewers.

While this in itself is interesting, it becomes even more interesting if you are like me a PR junkie. Yet another fantastic communication tool we can utilize for our strategies, our campaigns and our projects.

The other great thing about infographics is that they require little effort to make if using appropriate tools. And if you like to combine writing and design it gives you an opportunity to get creative. Also, because of the visual nature of infographics, they can be shared on Tumblr, Flikr and Pinterest, where that will be commented on, shared, pinned and saved for later. This gives them a far reach, a wide audience and a long (virtually infinite) shelf-life.

How to Make an Infographic?
Before you make your own infographic you need to know a few things about them:
-They are often higher on visuals than information
-They typically follow a story-telling formula
-They should be themed to be aesthetically pleasing (colours, fonts...)
-They are made to be shared (Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn etc.)

And if you want step-by-step instructions on how to make an infographic (I am not an expert, nor pretend to be) here is a great resource from Lewis PR blog. It takes you step by step through the creation process from deciding what to create one about to what type of graphic elements to incorporate.

Some Free Infographic Tools
Here are some websites/tools to help you make an infographic of your own.

1. Piktochart
This one lets you set up a free account with 3 basic themes and provides pricier options for people who are completely obsessed with making infographics. They also offer a guide to help create infographics.

2. Easel.ly
easel.ly was one of the most popular infographic tools that I came across. It has some pre-made themes or lets you make one from a blank canvas. Apparently it is free to use and it was the one that I tested out and it worked great, but you so have to sign up for an account.

3. Infogr.am
Infogr.am requires you to sign up for an account. But once you do you can use there themes and create and share infographics in 4 easy steps.

4. Visual.ly
This one is cool as it lets you create an infographic of your resume by connecting to your LinkedIn account.

And the Infographic
And to make things simple I have included an infographic that talks about well... infographics.
Infographic on Infographics; Infographic 101
Here is the link to this infographic to view the whole thing.

Links in this Post:
List of 40 unique infographics
Daily infographic
Tips to make an infographic
Piktochart guide

Sunday, 13 January 2013

Step 11 - Personal Branding 101

Branding for Yourself for Success


Personal BrandingPublic Relations is often behind great branding ideas. But branding is also a useful tool for job seekers. Because let’s face it, a job market is no different than a consumer market; it is like you’re a product on a store shelf beside other great products, striving to get the customer’s attention and make the sale. 

To be a successful job candidate, we need to stand out and show employers that we are a great product with a complete package. The package is part of the brand and it includes our look (the way we dress), our personality (the way we act), our education (what we know), our experience (what we can do) and our charisma (where we can go). These are like the features of a product. And like any product you want to be effective, stylish, durable and worth the investment. 

1.       Branding builds awareness & recognition

Awareness is all about getting yourself out there so that people can say ‘Oh yeah, I’ve heard of her. I hear she is great with clients.’ This is when awareness becomes recognition. This is similar to when someone gives you a strong recommendation. You are recognized for your accomplishments by others, why strengthens your claims about yourself as a job candidate. I am a strong believer that making others aware of your potential can often lead to great opportunities. 

2.       Branding builds relationships

“Public Relations is the strategic management of relationships between an organization and its various publics through the use of communication.” –Definition  of PR from CPRS

The fact that ‘relationships’ is a key element to the very definition of PR shows how important it is to each PR practitioner. And what some might forget is that we aren’t just responsible for building relationships (or brands) for the companies that we work for. We should be doing it for ourselves. This does two things. It shows we know what we are talking about when it comes to PR and it benefits us by strengthening our brand. 

Relationships are built through connections that make up networks. Networking is touted as the key word for 2013. And as a PR student I can say I have been told many time that networking is the key to getting a job and being successful in communications. But to elaborate on that, I think the networks we make reflect our personal brand, and shows how our brand fits in the industry. So ask yourself, are you building the right kind of network for your brand? 

3.       Branding builds success

Often times, PR efforts are used in conjunction to marketing and advertising to increase sales and ultimately the success of a company. So why wouldn’t we use this for ourselves. How many PR students have been told to make a 30 second commercial so as to ‘sell’ themselves? Isn’t that what our resume and the job interview are all about? Selling ourselves to the employer? 

Branding helps make sales because it also creates consistency. When you make your brand, you should therefore think about all aspect of the job hunt and the progression of your career. You don’t want to say one thing about yourself on your resume and then another in the interview. You don’t want to say you are a good at one thing in person, but then are terrible when placed to do it on the job. This would be false advertising. And the employer would want a refund. 

So how do you brand yourself? 

Here are some great tips on how to brand yourself from DanSchawbel:
1. Understand how others perceive you and how you perceive yourself
2. Define your unique abilities
3. Create a brand toolkit: resume and cover letters, business cards, personal blog, portfolio, social media profiles, wardrobe, email, all these things need to be consistent with your brand.

What to do and What not do do

Here are some great tips recapped from an article on creating your personal brand:
1. Publicize yourself and your voice – Create a blog or comment on LinkedIn group discussions
2. Research and know your competition – this doesn’t have to get ugly. Maybe you can actually help each other by sharing tips and pointers.
3. Be yourself – it’s easiest to create a brand for something real and genuine.

Here are the strongest pointers on mistakes to avoid from an article on LinkedIn Branding:
1. Being unprofessional - this includes in profile pictures
2. Lying about your skills or accomplishments
3. Not including all your links in one place (Twitter, LinkedIn, Blogs)
4. Asking people who don’t know you to write a recommendation

Links in this Post:


What do you think about personal branding? Do you think it is necessary or an annoyance? Let me know by commenting. 

P.S. Good Luck with your brand!



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