Confessions of an Unbranded Professional

from WebWorkerDaily by Georgina Laidlaw

In discussing personal branding, most people consider how it applies in the online environment, because, after all, it's the Internet that has given each of us a very public voice, and promoted the "need" for personal brand definition.

Many times, I've heard professionals describe personal branding as "essential" for anyone working in the online environment, that it's a "business imperative." According to many, the global financial crisis has only emphasized the already accepted truth that personal branding is a necessity in the modern world.

Well, I'd like to confess something right here, right now: I work in the online environment, and I don't have a personal brand.

I subscribe to a few social networking tools for the purpose of keeping track of my friends' wacky antics. I use the web in my daily dealings with clients and colleagues, but none of them ask why I haven't updated my status on [insert social networking site name here]. No one cares!

I have another confession to make: I don't really promote myself online.

Over the last 10 years, I've found my clients through personal referrals, friendships, and direct approaches I've made to prospects — usually organizations I've liked and with whom I decided I wanted to work. I know what you're thinking: "But it's a global economy! You could be doing so much more if you used the web to better advantage!" So far, I've been very fortunate in that finding new clients or projects has been fairly achievable, and since I don't want to build my business beyond what one person can reasonably handle, so far this strategy has worked for me.

Is it the most effective way to operate? Probably not, but it usually means I end up working with people I like and get along with, on projects that I enjoy working on. Will it last? I'm tempted to say that the tides of people rushing to promote themselves online suggest the answer to this question is "no," but most of the clients I target aren't particularly web-savvy — they don't IM, let alone tweet each new product release or business deal. They're people who prefer to rely on personal recommendations for finding professional services or new staff, if not meet the person they're hiring face to face first.

I'm not the only person I know who doesn't rely on a personal brand to make a living in the information economy — there are other ways to operate.

Are you one of The Great Unbranded? Or do you think I'm crazy?

Are we Failing our Careers or are our Careers Failing Us?

from Brazen Careerist by johnchen6

We've all heard it, "this generation doesn't have any loyalty" and "they change jobs too often." Basically the stereotype of Generation Y is that we don't stay at our careers very long and when we become annoyed with office politics, feel that we're not needed, or that we aren't making a difference we pick up and move onto the next job. I believe (and please correct me if I'm wrong) that during one of Penelope Trunk's keynotes she said that on average we change jobs about every 18 months. Of course that is a general statement but if we enter the workforce when we're 23 and retire at 65, we've spent 42 years working, or 504 months. At a new job every 18 months that means we've have gone through 28 different careers during our tenure in the workforce. So my question is this, "Are we failing our careers or are our careers failing us?"

I think there are three potential answers to this; (1) our careers are failing us, (2) we are failing our careers, or (3) both are failing each other.

Maybe our careers aren't giving us what we need/want out of a job - expectations for personal growth, need to always be learning, opportunities for group problem solving, creativity, a good work-life balance, the list goes on and on. Are we accepting positions at companies that we know don't offer us what we need simply with the belief that once we find something better we will move on? Or did we take a position with the company with the promise that all our Gen Y wants would be filled - only later to find out that they don't offer us anything we truly need or want?

Maybe our Gen Y glasses only let us see what we want from our career. Are we too focused on making the company work for us that we are unwilling to work for it? Is there a possibility that we are being too demanding of what we think the company should offer us? Sure there are different levels of what a company should offer you. If you don't have any room for advancement, your successes aren't being praised, and there's no room for any kind of professional or personal development then chances are you won't be happy there for too long. But what if the company is trying and wants to offer you the things you need/want but they just simply can't - whether it's political or they just simply don't have the money?

Maybe it's a little of both. Over the last few years we have hit the labor force like a tidal wave and it may be unrealistic to think that all these companies can change their company culture overnight to accommodate our needs and wants. Do we plan on jumping from company to company until the workforce is done changing its culture to accommodate us or will we stick it out with one company and help them make this change?

http://throughjohnseyes.blogspot.com/2009/07/are-we-failing-our-careers-or-are-o...

Is Your Elevator Speech Pushing the Right Buttons?

from Brazen Careerist by ljohnson

I have been to quite a few networking events and I guarantee you will hear the phrase, "Tell me about yourself." Many people are able to answer this question with no problem, while others seem to struggle. If you find yourself experiencing the latter, one way to combat this issue is memorizing an elevator speech.

In case you are not familiar with this term, an elevator speech is a short spiel that enables you to convey with others your occupation and what you represent (i.e. attributes) in the same length of time it takes for you to reach the highest floor in an elevator (approximately 30 to 60 seconds). Think of it as a way to "break the ice" when you meet someone new. In order to find out if your speech is pushing the right buttons, keep the following in mind:

Know before you go: First impressions are extremely important. People form their judgments about a person within the first thirty seconds of meeting them. Therefore, when someone requests that you tell them about yourself, please do not waste these precious seconds.

I am not trying to be funny or mean when I say this, but please figure out what it is that you do and what you represent before you are asked (especially if you are going to a networking event!). When some people are asked to talk about themselves they act like it is a trick question and are literally stumped in trying to determine how to craft a response. Remember, only you have the answer. Using "fillers" such as 'um' or 'ah' will not help in your quest to project that you are a confident individual.

Would you want to listen to yourself?

When you are rehearsing your elevator speech keep in mind how you would feel if you were subjected to listening to your speech. Would you be satisfied or bored? If you are bored and you wrote the speech—imagine how the listener will feel. I realize not everyone has a "cool" job. However, this is still no excuse for having a boring elevator speech. How do you expect to impress a recruiter or land a new client without capturing their attention?

The key to getting where you want to be is to demonstrate that regardless of what your occupation is, you take ownership of your position and have pride in the work you perform. Do yourself a favor and craft an elevator speech worth listening to by including the following:

• Your occupation Yes, this seems obvious, but it does not hurt to be reminded. In addition, make sure that you add the company name as well. The person listening to you might know one of your colleagues. Therefore, in the event that you are nervous, knowing a common person that the listener knows might make you feel more at ease.

• Why are you unique? For example, instead of simply saying, "I am a Marketing Consultant," and bring the conversation to a screeching halt, why not say, "I am a Marketing Consultant that loves a challenge and truly enjoy assisting my clients."

• Examples, please. When you craft your response by answering, "Why you are unique?" The degree to how well you craft your answer will determine how interested people will be in learning more about you. You will know you accomplished this feat when the next question you are asked is, "How do you [insert your exceptionally crafted answer—i.e. assist your clients]?" This question will enable you to share your skills and talents without being viewed as "pushy." Make the most of your time in the spotlight by giving 3 quick examples to support why you are [insert your exceptionally crafted answer].

Facial expressions speak just as loud as words: When you are speaking make sure you are paying attention to how others are reacting to your speech. If you see someone is confused, immediately stop and ask them if they need clarification. Oftentimes, if people are confused they will let you keep talking because they are afraid that they will come across as ignorant (of course this could not be further from the truth!).

It is your responsibility to put their mind at ease by being direct and asking them if they need clarification. I often receive puzzled looks when I mention that my company offers virtual assistant services. When I receive these looks, the next words out of my mouth are, "Are you familiar with the concept of virtual assistance?" When I offer to clarify a term or phrase that is unfamiliar to the other person, I can see the sigh of relief on their face and am then told, "No, if you do not mind can you explain it to me."

It does neither person any good to allow you to continue talking when you are not on the same page. The other person will undoubtedly harbor feelings of insecurity because they did not understand what you do. When you fail to pick up on nonverbal cues that your listener is confused , your listener will assume that you are "smarter" than them and you will miss out on the chance to connect.

Remember, the whole purpose of an elevator speech is to share what you do and what you represent. You are also satisfying their curiosity in why you are a phenomenal person that they should become better acquainted with and worth adding to their network. You have to make sure that your speech is pushing the right buttons so you can get off on the same floor together.

http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/targetstarsblog/QfsA/~3/4O26jqfitTY/

6 Tips for Better Branding Using Avatars

from WebWorkerDaily by Aliza Sherman

We're living in a social media world, and, like it or not, our avatar is often the first impression others get about us as we interact virtually on social networks, blogs, microblogs and other online communities. Our avatars are a representation of our brands — our personal brand or our company's or organization's brand. But how many of us are thinking strategically about our avatars?

Here are six tip for better branding using avatars.

1. Define your brand. Anyone familiar with Branding 101 knows how to think through the attributes of a brand. Simply put, you need to ask yourself which words best describe who you are and what you'd like to project to others. When I was working with my business partner to think about the brand for our new company, we came up with "professional, creative, playful, approachable." For my own personal brand, I might pick "helpful, honest, sensible, snarky."

2. Identify your assets. Once you've established clear brand attributes, you need to go through the images you have or are considering using for your avatar and pick those that most clearly represent those attributes. Without question, using a photograph of yourself will always establish more trust than using any other image, particularly any non-human image.

A cartoon image of yourself can be a good second choice if the nature of the illustration is in keeping with your brand attributes. You could use a site such as Meez, DoppelMe or Yahoo Avatars to create a cartoon likeness. You might use your Second Life avatars to represent yourself on your profile, particularly if you're involved with the virtual world in your work.

Your company logo could stand in for your own image. However, that may create different expectations from others if they think they're hearing from the "company" instead of you.

Any other image that you pick could potentially cause confusion or give the wrong impression. Not everyone gets the inside joke between you and your friends when you put a photo of a hot dog on your profile. If you are thinking about the importance of the image you project, you need to make your avatar choice very carefully.

3. Optimize your images. If you are using a photograph, you can use a free online editing tool such as Picnik, PiZap or FotoFlexer to touch it up or add interesting effects.

Beware of "overproduced" photographs that misrepresent what you actually look like. They may not affect trust now, but could once someone meets you in person.

4. Be ever-present. Don't get lazy and fail to add an image to your profile. In fact, make sure any time you set up a new social media account that you have an avatar ready to upload immediately, while you fill in the basic details of your profile. Wherever there is the opportunity to extend your brand with an image, upload that image.

A profile without a personalized avatar can send the wrong signals to others. When I'm contacted by someone who uses a generic avatar, I feel a mixture of:

• Suspicion. If I don't know the person, I want to be able to see what they look like and so I wonder what they're trying to hide.
• Skepticism. If they don't take the time to add their image, I wonder how seriously they're taking social media as a communications tool, particularly if they're contacting me for professional reasons.
• Doubt. I think that if someone can't even figure out how to add a basic image to their profile, they might lack basic skills, which doesn't bode well if they're approaching me for a job.
• Frustration. In this world of virtual contacts and less likelihood of a face-to-face meeting, I rely on profile images to provide a sense of connection that's lacking from purely textual encounters.

Don't forget that avatars aren't just for social media profiles. They're also available on many blog publishing tools so your image appears with your blog comments. You can also create a universal avatar via Gravatar (Globally Recognized Avatar) and attach a consistent image to many of your interactions on blogs and social media sites.

5. Mix it up. While on the one hand you want to be consistent with your personal brand and thus your avatar, that doesn't mean you have to use the same image across all sites. Nor does it mean you can't switch out your image periodically to keep things fresh. The consistency comes from staying "on message" with your avatar choices.

Pick an avatar that is appropriate for each site — in many cases you could use the same image, but think before you upload. And when you're ready for a change, pull from a pool of images you've already reviewed and optimized.

6. Politicize with care. Who knew that simply making your avatar green could be a powerful and controversial political statement? Many people will modify their avatars to show their support for or against the cause of the moment. Managing your brand also means taking care to decide which political or social movements you'll be backing with your personal branding images.

Changing your avatar to green can be the virtual equivalent of wearing a t-shirt emblazoned with a political slogan, or even attending a rally or protest. But while it may be a physically "safe" way to broadcast your personal and political opinions, it could affect your personal brand in detrimental ways. What if a client or potential employer doesn't share your views and sees that you've been supporting a cause they are vehemently against?

I'm not saying that you shouldn't have the courage to speak out for what you believe in, but understand the deeper impact to other aspects of your virtual life and work when you choose to use your brand avatar as a soapbox.

How are you building and managing your personal brand through your avatar?

“Radically Transparent”: A Practical Guide to Online Reputation Management

from WebWorkerDaily by Nancy Nally

"Radically Transparent: Monitoring and Managing Reputations Online," by Andy Beal and Dr. Judy Strauss, was recommended to me by several online friends who are involved in PR and marketing. It's a practical and comprehensive book that's designed to help individuals and businesses manage their reputations in a world in which the old rules no longer apply, thanks to the advent of the Internet.

The book begins by providing background on the importance of managing your company's reputation online and the potential consequences if you don't. It follows with practical instruction on using tools like social media and search engine optimization as ways to be proactive about managing your online reputation in order to achieve your business goals. The final section is about online monitoring of your reputation and managing an online reputation crisis.

The big emphasis in "Radically Transparent" is on being proactive in reputation management. The book's practical recommendations center around creating a positive reputation through the use of tools like social media and blogs, instead of waiting to respond to critics in a crisis where you would always be playing catch-up. The philosophy is that actively building and monitoring your reputation can actually prevent a crisis from happening.

Some of the book's sections (such as "The Power Of Blogs") may be somewhat basic for WebWorkerDaily readers, but in total "Radically Transparent" is a very practical and comprehensive textbook on the topic of online reputation management. It won't go over the heads of those who are inexperienced in the online marketing, but at the same time I believe even the most experienced online marketer will come away from "Radically Transparent" having picked up a few new tips and techniques.

If you work in marketing, this book would be a good recommendation for clients reluctant to implement online reputation management. For freelancers or small business owners, reading this book (and then sticking it on your bookshelf for references) will give you a great background in reputation and crisis management.

Although the book uses the stories of the online reputation problems of several large companies like Dell and JetBlue as examples, the lessons it contains aren't limited to large companies — the authors translate the such experiences to apply them to the management of an individual's reputation. Personal reputation management (or personal branding) is especially important to freelance web workers. Their online reputation is usually just as important as their off-line reputation.

In a way, the core message of the book is a slightly down one because it takes a somewhat fatalistic approach to the inherent negativity of the Internet. The core philosophy underlying the need for proactive reputation management is the assumption that it is "inevitable" that all of us will have our reputation attacked at some point. Unfortunately many of us can attest to the truth of that statement.

Interested in reading "Radically Transparent" for yourself? Chapter 1 is available for download as a PDF from the Radically Transparent web site.

Have you read "Radically Transparent"? Are you proactive about your reputation online?

Tip: Recover your GMail password via text message

from Gmail Blog by The Gmail Team

Posted by Cristelle Blackford, Online Operations Strategist

Even the best of us forget our passwords from time to time. In fact, recovering passwords is one of the top reasons people visit the Gmail Help Center. To help with these situations, we recently added the ability to recover your password via text message.

To turn this on for your account, just sign in, select 'Change Password Recovery Options,' enter your cell phone number and click 'Save.'

Next time you forget your password, enter your username on the password-assistance page, and Google will text you a recovery code. No need to check another email account or even leave the page.

In general, it's a good idea to add as many password recovery options to your Google Account as possible, like a secondary email address and security question. And don't forget to keep them up-to-date.

The Essentials of Email Etiquette

from Lifehacker by Azadeh Ensha

1 person liked this

Those accidental reply-alls and empty subject fields in your inbox tell the truth—too many people still don't know the basics of proper email etiquette. Here are eleven rules to forward on or follow.

Photo by half empty.

Career writer Marci Alboher touches on a few areas where your email manners might need tweaking. Our own email training impulses align with the importance of descriptive subject lines, and more people should avoid the impulse to have the last word. According to Marci, "there is usually no reason to cap off a long exchange with 'thank you' (and certainly, 'you're welcome')." There tends to exist a natural end point in conversations, so let it end there.

The article also suggests senders should ask whether someone prefers documents to be sent as attachments or pasted in the body of the message before sending. If back-and-forth editing of text is required, try using shared collaboration tools, something like previously mentioned webapp Show Document, in lieu of updating and sending attachments between or among parties.

Take a look at the full post for the entire rundown of email tips, then come back and tell us about your email dos and don'ts. What simple steps could your friends and co-workers take to improve their emailing? Do you have any absolute email don'ts? Share your thoughts below.

How to Improve Your Email Etiquette [Yahoo Shine]