I am always receiving interesting emails and phone calls, especially once people see that I am more than a pretty face. Yes, I actually work and blog and go to school. Why people find this surprising is beyond me, but oh well. So, anyway, yesterday, I posted my latest blog excerpt to my Facebook page and almost immediately received a wall post from an associate of mine. Her question was quite simple really, “How did you get into blogging?” My answer, while still simple, could not be as easily conveyed, upon further reflection. See, what I told her was the simple and easy truth ... I love to write and was always looking for my creative outlet. Since I had something to say and feel very knowledgeable about what I do (HR), I felt it was prudent for me to share my knowledge with all who would listen.
Again, upon further reflection, I realize that it is not as simple as it seems on the surface. Yes, we all have something to say. Yes, blogging is a great form of modernistic expression. Yes, it is important to find your voice and find your audience. It is all of these things, but it is more than that. Blogging is a way to brand yourself, to create your image, and to mark your place in your field/industry. I recently read a post on Careerealism all about branding. The author stated in the most poignant of ways, “Social media has the ability to make the single greatest impact on your career identity” (thanks sparktalk!!). I couldn’t agree more. In this day of interactive resumes, video interviews via Skype, and googling prospective candidates, it is very important to brand yourself to ensure that you are putting your best foot, or in this case, face forward. Your brand can change whether a prospective employer or business acquaintance contacts you or passes you by.
Branding is very simple. All you have to do is answer one very simple question: What do you want others to see? Yes, you may be a killer snowboarder with abs of steel and a dog name Blaze, but is that what you want plastered all over the net when potential employers are looking for you? And trust me, they will look. Now, I am not saying that you can’t have a personal life or that your personal life is not content for the Web. It is, just not when you are trying to brand yourself. Even though most psychologists/psychiatrists wouldn’t agree, multiple personalities are in order. As a matter of fact, in the virtual world, multiple personalities are probably best. All I am saying is don’t make your personal identity your main identity, unless of course, your personal and career identities are one in the same. For instance, you’re in a band or are in some other creative niche, where what you do is truly who you are.
