TFW Today - May 31, 2011

5 Simple Ways to Stand Out and Get Ahead

by Colleen Davis

 Personal branding is the easiest and most effective way to stand out from the masses and move up quickly in your career. In case you don’t fully understand what your personal brand is – it is the total perceived value of YOU, relative to your competitors, as viewed by your audience. Here are five ways that you can strengthen your brand:

 1. Have a Plan

Know where you want to be in three years – what you want to be doing. Set goals and write them down. (Alone, this is a priceless success strategy.) Just as businesses build their brand presence to appeal to specific market segments (i.e., Ford/ working class; Cadillac/ luxury class), your goals should be carefully considered as you’re building your personal brand – so that you appeal to the right audience. You’ve heard the expression, “dress for the job you want.” You first need to know what that is.

 2. Become an Expert

Nothing builds personal brand credibility more than establishing yourself as an expert in your field. There are many ways to do this – here are just a few: write articles; start a blog; seek opportunities to offer your expertise to the media (see helpareporter.com and reporterconnection.com), look for speaking opportunities within your company or at industry conferences; and play up applicable awards and other recognitions that you’ve received.

 3. Build a Network

It’s not really about who you know – it’s actually more about who knows you! A personal introduction from someone who thinks highly of you can literally shave years, possibly decades, off the time it would normally take to reach the same career goals. Seek out opportunities to network with other professionals – especially those in power positions, and look at industry and professional associations as well as LinkedIn and other online networking communities. Keeping your network strong is simple – keep in contact with them.

 4. Promote Your Brand

To stand out and be recognized, you must promote yourself. If you don’t, how will your audience know you exist? The way that you do this will really depend on your goals and your audience. Some tools include: career portfolio (on/offline); social media presence (LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter); and blog or personal website (yourname.com). There are three things to remember when promoting your brand: use a professional photo; keep your profiles, resume and portfolio updated as you make changes or complete new projects; and google your name (often) so that you’re aware of how others may perceive you.

 5. Be Consistent

Branding takes time and consistency is a huge factor in the success of your efforts. Remember, you’re essentially establishing a rapport and building a reputation with your audience. You’re creating expectations of them that will ultimately lead to recognition and reward. Be patient. Be persistent. But most of all, be consistent. Show your audience that you’re competent and confident, and the right people will notice.

©2011 Crescio Inc. All rights reserved. This article used with permission.