Whether you choose to be a full scale entrepreneur or join the ranks of the corporate world, your going to need personal branding that represents you. Through different methods such as social media, internet presence, and personal portfolios, you can give yourself a distinctive edge when trying to get hired. Think candidly as to how many purchases you have made without a deep dive into some heavy duty research. As a consumer, you want to make sure your getting the best quality and best deal available on the market. It is no different for employers and prospective clients… they want to know all about you. Here are three simple steps you can take to revamp your professional image.
1. Digital Footprint
In case you haven’t already heard a million times from teachers, bloggers, and parents, everything you do on the internet lasts forever. Social media posts, Snapchats, iMessage texts, and many more live within databases forever. It is imperative your digital footprint is as squeaky clean as possible. The easiest way to start is by removing any risqué photos from all social media profiles. Friends can find you just as easily as potential employers, and the last thing they want to see is you partying on Instagram. Keep in mind you are becoming an extension of their company, and they would like to keep their reputation as much as you.
2. Personal Portfolio
Adding a personal portfolio to your resume can be incredibly beneficial and will diversify you as an applicant. There are many ways you can approach creating this portfolio, the easiest of which being to send a cheap USB drive along with your application full of files of your work. However, it may be unsettling to recruiters to plug random hard drives into their computers. Another route may be to create a simple one page website to display your work and information. This can then act as both a digital resume and supplemental material. We offer personal portfolio pages at very affordable prices for the on the rise professional.
3. Professional Headshot
Simple, easy, and yet incredibly overlooked. Having a professional headshot at your disposal is incredibly helpful when creating a consistent personal brand image. You reside at the center of your personal brand, and being able to display yourself in a professional manner is essential. Most iPhones now have high enough quality to produce a passable profile photo. Step in front of a white background, put on your best digs, and snap a shot from shoulders up. Better yet, you can find a locally sourced photographer who could complete the job fairly inexpensively.