You’ve heard the words “personal brand” tossed around time and time again, but what does this phrase really mean? Why should you build your personal brand, and where do you even begin? Don’t fret, collegiettes, because Her Campus is here to help. We’ve created a DIY guide to showcasing your best professional self, and getting the job of your dreams!
What is a personal brand (and why do I need one)?
You’ve applied for job after job or internship after internship. Maybe you’ve gotten a few interviews, but nothing has really panned out. How can you stand out from the crowd and prove that you deserve the position? A personal brand is a way of marketing yourself and your career. You want to establish your own individual image, in order to make others remember you. By building your personal brand, you will impress employers and receive tons more job offers.
How do I build my personal brand?
Beginning to build a personal brand is easy! We’ve listed just a few ways to highlight your accomplishments and personalize your career goals.
Use social media to your advantage
You’ve heard it before, and we’ll tell you again: your social media presence is important! From your LinkedIn cover photo to your Twitter account, everything you on the Internet should be a reflection of yourself (and your personal brand): professional, smart and fabulous! Follow people in your industry that you look up to on Twitter, and then retweet some of their tweets. Clean up your Facebook (even if you’ve got high privacy settings, you never know who you’ll have a mutual friend with!) and make sure what you’re putting out is only your best self.
Create a personal website or blog
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While the idea of making your own website can be overwhelming, it doesn’t have to be! Utilize an online tool such as Squarespace, a website publishing platform that makes it easy to create beautiful websites, portfolios and blogs—and you don’t need be to a computer science major to make one (phew!). While many online platforms require knowledge of code and can be confusing to navigate, with Squarespace, making a personal website or blog is a truly DIY process. No code is needed, and there is a 24/7-support feature so you can get the help you need even if you’re working on your website during late nights. The best part? College students get 50 percent off their first year of Squarespace!
Network your heart out
Okay, back to social media: since this is a DIY guide to getting your dream job, you have to be proactive. After you’ve followed people with your dream job on Twitter, tweet at them! Ask questions and see if you can set up an informational interview to pick their brain. Don’t be afraid to send a LinkedIn message, either. You’ll be surprised at how willing people are to help you! Trust us on this—jobs aren’t going to fall into your lap. You have to make it happen yourself!
Design a logo
A big way to stand out is to design a personal logo. The style of your logo will depend on the field you are hoping to work in. For example, if you are trying to break in to the graphic design industry, you’ll want to spend a lot of time drafting and perfecting your logo, in order to showcase your skills. And if you’re entering the publishing industry, a simple, clean logo with your first and last name works fine. If you don’t know where to begin, Squarespace has a free professional logo maker that will help you create a beautiful logo in minutes.
Add a portfolio
An online portfolio is a simple way to make samples of your work more accessible. A portfolio works especially well for visual content, like photography or illustrations, and for written content, like journalism clips. Even in a less creative field, however, a portfolio will set you apart from other candidates. Your resume lists what you can do, and your portfolio shows how you have done it—so if you’re an engineering major who has worked on design projects or even a budding sociologist who is writing a thesis, showcasing these accomplishments is a great way to show people what you’re about. Squarespace features a free Portfolio app for iPad and iPhone, so you can take your portfolio on the go. You don’t even need an Internet connection. Perfect to show potential employers during interviews and career fair visits!
No matter what your professional path, building a personal brand through an online website can only help further your career. Using a platform such as Squarespace makes it easy to do it yourself. With awesome features and tons of support, Squarespace is simple to use and free of complicated code. What are you waiting for, collegiettes? You can start a two-week free trial of Squarespace here no credit card required. And remember, if you do decide to sign up, it’s 50 percent off for your first year. Sounds like a good deal to us!