Looking for a job means you’ll be revamping your resume, spending a lot of time searching job websites, and sending follow-up emails or calls to hiring managers. However, before you consider taking any of these steps, you have to ensure your personal brand is up to par because your job search will land flat without that.
So, what personal branding mistakes do you need to avoid if you plan to look for a job?
- Abandoning Your OG Brand
Remember the person who got you to where you are and stick with them. Consistency is key in branding and messaging because, over time, it builds trust. Rebranding yourself once is one thing, but when it becomes a frequent occurrence, no one really knows who you are. You are seen as unpredictable and untrustworthy. Think about every skill you’ve gained and experience you’ve had because those are what make up your personal brand.
- Forgetting About Social Media
This personal branding mistake should be a common sense one to avoid, but still, some people forget to audit their social media presence before starting to job search. Social media is a great tool to transparently bring your brand to the masses. Communicating your brand this way helps to create connections with your following. And again, make sure your brand is consistent. For example, if you brand yourself as a high-fashion writer, it would be confusing if you posted about casual loungewear.
- Compromising Values
Have you ever worked for a company or manager who didn’t share your values? It’s confusing, frustrating, and probably exhausting to navigate. So instead, find an organization or manager who aligns with your values. Both can be great assets to helping you build your brand because they see eye-to-eye with you on the big things. This means you’ll be more likely to understand where the other is coming from on mostly all things.
- Acting Inconsistently
Your personal brand is just that, one single brand. You should carry yourself as one consistent voice and message across all channels. For example, suppose you brand yourself as part of a small family business on LinkedIn yet tout a big corporate brand on another social media platform. In that case, you’re inconsistent and downright confusing. Your brand messaging will easily fall flat.
- Pumping Up Your Ego
Celebrating a significant career accomplishment now and then with your following is one thing. It’s another to pat yourself on the back day in and day out along your personal branding campaign. It’s great to brand yourself as a thought leader in your industry and important too. However, please don’t become someone everyone thinks is too full of themselves to learn from others.
So, once you avoid these personal branding mistakes, think about what you can do to brand yourself appropriately.
- Become an Expert and Network – Whatever industry you’re in, dig in and become someone others in that industry want to go to. On the other side, you also need to be proactive about connecting with others in the industry. This can be done by commenting on their posts or reposting their content. Think of how people catch your attention and market yourself accordingly.
- Solicit Feedback and Create a Presence – Go to those you can trust who will tell it like it is. Ask them what they think about your brand reputation. From there, make sure your content matches what people would find if they Googled your name. If not, work on your SEO.
What branding mistakes have you made, and what tips would you give someone when it comes to branding themselves? Join the conversation on LinkedIn. Also, check out How to Know When It’s Time to Find a New Job.
