Lily Turner, FoodFindsAsia.com | Recruiters often lament that the candidate is an excellent specialist but does not know how to sell himself. What does it mean? Lack of experience in public speaking, inability to speak openly and clearly about their achievements. Lack of reputation as a specialist outside of narrow companies.
Why can’t we promote ourselves?
Modesty as a good quality leads to the fact that people are absolutely unable to attract interest, tell about themselves, and do not work on their personal PR as a specialist in a certain field or an expert. And then, when they come to work, they are only one candidate from the gray mass, since the real work is visible only on probation.
Why is such a false modesty dangerous? It is dangerous because if you work more than everyone else, you’ll still be unable to get a promotion. Personal branding is necessary for you so that if something happens with the current company or you decide to change your job to a more profitable one, you are lured and considered a valuable specialist.
There is nothing wrong in publicity – people seek authority and love to rely on proven solutions. If you understand what you understand, be public and you will be drawn to those who need advice in your field. It will be especially useful for you if you are a lawyer, an accountant, or a PR, work with your hands or in the service sector, your work can become a basis for consultations or you are a narrow technical specialist.
Personal branding
Personal branding consists of 6 stages:
- Appearance and behavior
- Participation in press conferences, business conferences, publications in specialized media, and on websites such as https://essaysreviewer.com
- Activity in the business community – clubs, sections, trade unions, etc.
- Participation in general business events
- Activity in social networks and thematic forums
- Managing a blog or personal site
Appearance and behavior
You already know about a professional portrait, and now you should look good all the time at work and at public events. Not dressy or expensive, but smart, stylish, and neat. Watch your haircut and styling, manicure and clothes. Develop presentation skills – smile beautifully, speak beautifully, register for rhetoric courses, and work with voice.
Participation in public events
Take the opportunity – give comment on the media, write articles for magazines, apply for reports from profile conferences, and motivate the boss to send you for training or presentation of the results.
Activity in the business community
Join various professional clubs and communities. As a rule, participation in them is either free or is not very expensive, and at the same time these communities are constantly covered in the media and on the internet. Escape from the familiar work-house-friends schedule and invest part of your time in your professional brand.
Participation in business activities of the general plan
Business activities of the general plan are business breakfasts, open meetings, and conferences (especially free of charge). Do not complain about the poor quality of the content – you came here to PR.
Activity in social networks and thematic forums
Write on your own behalf what you think about your work, the difficulties and achievements that arise and the discoveries that you have. You will have supporters and opponents, and most importantly you will declare yourself as an expert.
Managing a personal blog or website
If you are sufficiently advanced, you can even make your site with articles and publications from other media. This site will serve as a press kit and summary, as well as a portfolio of your work.
Disadvantages of personal branding
You are promoting yourself, which means that you are always in the open. You cannot afford an ugly photo or an unflattering remark. It is desirable that your family and relatives also behave decently. You cannot lie about imaginary successes or strongly embellish them. Do not leave discrediting video and photos, do not swear with people.
How to start: image development
Image is your image on the internet and society, which consists of your merits, vividly presented and proven by facts and some shortcomings that make you human, and therefore closer to the people. Look at yourself in the mirror, think about who you are, whom you would like to be, and make a plan.