Hi, Bearcats! Can you believe how fast summer went? August will always remind me of moving back to Saint Vincent, excited to reunite with my friends and ready for the mental stimulation of going to class. Welcome back!
Last month, I had an unexpected opportunity to go on my first-ever business trip. My boss, Tim, and I were invited to speak at the 2014 Wealth Counsel Symposium in Denver, CO. The Wealth Counsel is a national group of attorneys who specialize in estate planning, business planning, elder law and more.
You may be wondering, what place do marketers have at an attorney convention? At it turns out, there are plenty of attorneys who want to learn how to incorporate social media and video into their marketing strategies. It's hard for businesses to be seen if they lack a strong digital presence. Fortunately, with some thought and effort, any organization can get their message out to the right audience online.
The same is true when it comes to promoting yourself! If you are searching for a job or internship, I cannot stress the importance of crafting your own personal brand to stand out from the competition. Whether you're a history, math or communication major, anybody can do this! Here are some of my favorite tips for building your online reputation – and getting you one step closer to your dream job.
1. Create a Video Resume - In addition to a traditional resume, a video resume is a way to get creative and show hiring managers that you're willing to think outside the box. Like a cover letter, a video resume allows you to expand on your interests and talents in a unique, memorable way. Communication professor David Safin incorporates a video resume project into his lesson plan each year and has great advice on how to execute it.
2. Talk about your career goals and interests - Social media is a great tool for letting people know what you're interested in, especially companies looking to hire. If you read a compelling industry article, be sure to post it or discuss it on your LinkedIn profile (yes, you should absolutely be on LinkedIn). It also goes without saying to never post something you wouldn't want your future boss to see, no matter how private your profiles are.
3. Generate content - If you REALLY want to stand out, you should be writing about what you love, not just re-posting articles. If you're passionate about wildlife, start a blog. If you love fashion, contribute to a style website. Just write! Your content will show up when people Google you, setting you apart as someone knowledgeable and insightful.
4. Be yourself! - Building your personal brand is your chance to show the world who you are and what you aspire to be. If you're easygoing and creative or serious and buttoned up, what you post and write should reflect that. You are in charge of how people see you.
These tips merely scratch the surface on how to build your professional presence. If you'd like to learn more, any of the communication and marketing professors are great resources to use, as is the Career Center. Dr. Dawn Edmiston, a former SVC marketing professor, put together a very helpful presentation that explains some of these tips and more in greater detail.
Have you found other creative methods that helped you land a job or internship? I'd love to hear about them!