As social media has continued its rise in the past few years, there's been an increasing need for education on personal branding - that is, the you that people experience online.The things that you do, say and post on Facebook, Flickr, YouTube, Twitter, your blog, and any other public-facing social network are part of your reputation. Are your profiles consistent with each other and with who you are? Does your online persona reflect what you want it to? How do all of these come into play with your professional life? The savvy and thoughtful digital professional will give this due consideration.
These and many other questions and issues are being addressed by a number of people in the social media space. People like Chris Brogan, Mitch Joel, and Dan Schawbel, to name just three. They're all worth checking out, if you don't follow them already.
Since I moved to Michigan, I've been introduced to another personal branding expert - one who is really taking it to the next level. His name is Hajj Flemings and I'm proud to call him a colleague.
Hajj has written a book on the subject, called Brand YU Life: re-thinking who you are through personal brand management. I've been reading it and I'm very impressed with the message he conveys, broken down into seven easy to remember sections and peppered with some very compelling visuals and notes sections. Hajj recommends the following steps:
- Identify your passion
- Definie your mission
- Count the cost
- Create your voice
- Develop your core
- Be authentic
- Shift to now
If you're in the area or planning on being in the area on September 27, I'd urge you to sign up for the event. And if you can't be there, you should order a copy of Hajj's book. The personal journey he shares is worth it, let alone the solid personal branding advice that comes along with it.
Photo credit: Ahmed Rabea on Flickr