The critical importance of personal branding in a job search and/or responsible career management.

1. Personal Branding: The
Essential Key to a
Successful Job Search.
Greg David, President
Laka & Company

2. What personal branding is
NOT!
• Defining yourself by TITLE or
DEPARTMENT.
– Example: I am an accountant.
– Example: I am a computer programmer.
– Example: I am in sales.
– Example: I am an attorney.

3. What personal branding IS:
• Defining SME to capture attention,
create value, and define a critical
positive impact that you make.
– It is specific.
– It is positive in emotion.
– It is desirable for others to have.
– It makes your competition less desirable.

4. What personal branding IS:
• It consists of many small and not so
small items, it intertwines, and creates
an identity that you wish others to know
you for.
• Everything counts! Nothing is too small!
From your email address, to your
resume file name, to the online footprint
you manufacture. IT ALL COUNTS!

5. What personal branding IS:
• Branding is making yourself:
– RELEVANT to others.
– DESIRABLE to others.
– DIFFERENT than your ‘competition’.

6. The old search process. 
• “Moths to a light”
demonstrates the
outdated, and
unsuccessful
process of job
seekers (moths)
flocking to a light
(job). HINT: It
doesn’t work.

7. The new search process! 
In the new job search process, the job
seeker is the light, and moths are
jobs. The trick is to get them to
flock to you.
HINT: It cuts a job search cycle down
significantly and makes future job
searches a snap. In fact, the longer
and more successfully you do it,
the less likely you will be hurt in the
future.

8. Personal Branding
BASICS: Where to start.

9. Defining Your BRAND.
• Who are you AND what do you do?
• Define Subject Matter Expertise (SME) ?
• What impact on others does it have?
• What pain do you eliminate?
• What benefit do you create?
• How do you help save time or money?
• How do you increase revenue or
profitability?
» Write down these bullets quickly!

10. Exercise One: Brainstorming.
• Use a legal pad to write down as many
answers to the questions on the previous
slide. Fill as many pages as you can.
Write quickly.
• You will need to do multiple drafts to make
your words and thoughts meaningful.
Write, define, refine.
» Challenge: Can you fill 10 pages? 20?

11. Exercise Two: Defining Your Market.
• What geographic markets need you?
• What industries need you?
• What size organizations need you?
• What organizations need you?
• What departments need you?
• What roles need you?
» You’ll need to research!

12. Exercise Three: Defining Your
Advantages.
• What is your SME (Subject Matter
Expertise)?
• How does it directly affect: increased
profit, customer satisfaction,
customer loyalty, improved revenue,
market share, lower costs, or
entrance into new markets?
» Advantages are skills.

13. Defining Your Weaknesses
• Comparatively---to others who do what you do-
---how are you poorly positioned?
– Years of experience?
– Cost?
– Risk of turnover or stagnation?
– Performance? Ease of managing?
– Ability to learn?
– Flexibility? Adaptability? Desire to grow?
– Past observed shortcomings?
– Are you a ‘moldable piece of clay’ or a ‘weed’?
» Weaknesses are bad habits.

14. An exercise NOT for the weak
BUT the STRONG!
• Contact multiple prior managers for real and
honest feedback to improve yourself, and the
value you bring to the table.
• Go to work on those issues immediately, and
be able to show tangible corrective action
taken.
• Stay with it for a minimum of one year or until it
becomes part of a NEW you.

15. Defining Your STRENGTHS.
• Comparatively---to others who do what you do-
---how are you PROPERLY positioned?
– Years of experience? Cost?
– Able to act as a ‘catalyst of change’?
– Performance? Past achievements?
– What are you learning at a rapid rate of speed?
– Flexibility? Adaptability? Desire to grow?
– How are you a ‘moldable piece of clay’ & not a
‘weed’?
» Strengths are a mix of positive competitive positioning and
positive habits.

16. Defining Your Tools
• Word based.
• Paper based.
• Media based.
• Technology based.
• Examples of work/portfolio based.
• Web based.

17. BRING Clear Substance
Quickly (CSQ):
• How easy is it for others to get their
questions answered about you?
• How well do you communicate?
• How quickly do you provide
substance that matters to others?

18. Defining WORD based
BRANDING.
• THINK: VERBAL & WRITTEN:
– Elevator speech.
– Value statement.
– Mission statement.
– Subject Matter Expertise (SME).
– Biography. Articles or books written.
– Speaking engagements.

19. Defining PAPER based BRANDING.
• THINK:
– Business cards. Handbills. Resumes.
– White papers, SME documentation.
– Articles written about you, items authored, etc.
– Examples of work.
– Positive past employment reviews. Awards.
– Certifications.

20. Defining MEDIA based BRANDING.
• THINK:
– CD’s.
– DVD’s.
– USB memory sticks.
– Virtual based presentations.

21. Defining TECHNOLOGY based
BRANDING.
• THINK:
– Email address and resume file name.
– Vcard (your electronic business card).
– Electronic signature.
– Set up of your PC and email product.
– PowerPoint, white paper, video, etc. ‘style’.
– “Follow me” phone service.
» Are you creating ‘an experience’ for the viewer?

22. Defining PORTFOLIO based
BRANDING.
• THINK:
– Examples of work.
– Letters of recommendation from past supervisors,
clients, etc.
– Employment reviews documentation.
– Letters of commendation and awards.
– White papers, SME documentation.
– Articles written about you, items authored, etc.
– Certifications.

23. Defining WEB based BRANDING.
• THINK: LinkedIn, Plaxo, Facebook,
Twitter, blogs/vlogs, websites, uploaded
content (video clips, presentations,
white papers, etc.).
• What is your web sized foot print and
what does it say about you?
• Can anyone even find you on the
Internet or web---what is your online
identity and visibility?

24. Your online identity and visibility:
0-100%?
• Vizibility’s Online Identity Calculator:
http://www.onlineidcalculator.com
Provides you advice on how to build a
stellar online identity that is aligned with
your real-world personal brand.

25. Niche sites to be on:
• www.eons.com (focused on
Boomers, founded by Monster.com
founder Jeff Taylor).
• www.partnerup.com (start up and
small business site---advice and right
time, right place job opportunities).
• www.Biznik.com (great social site to
demonstrate your SME).

26. More niche sites to be on:
• www.youngentrepreneur.com Filled
with great ideas, tips, and the
occasional connection to a new job.
• www.constantcontact.com Use email
campaigns to share your SME.
• www.gobignetwork.com You might
score big with a job at a startup.

27. ‘Swiss Army Knife’ web sites:
• www.quintcareers.com 5 star job site.
• www.google.com search on ‘job search personal
branding’.
• www.employmentdigest.net
• www.about.com another terrific tool for a job
search.
• www.siteslike.com A MUST HAVE TOOL!

28. Steps to get started

29. Day One
• Complete ‘legal pad’ exercises to
define and refine YOUR branding.
– This can take 1-4 hours or more.
• Register with social & business
networking sites and create a profile.
– This can take 1-3 hours or more per
site.

30. Day Two
• Author/Re-author:
– Resume(s) and cover letters.
– Handbill.
– Business card.
• Have SME information on back of card.
» This will take 4-8 hours or more.

31. Day Three
• Set up/re-configure PC and email product to
accurately show your name.
• Set up/re-configure profiles on LinkedIn, Plaxo,
etc.
• Set up/re-configure XOBNI, GWABBIT, Act! or
Goldmine, and Skype (with video).
• Set up a reach me anywhere phone account.
» This will take 2-4 hours total time.

32. Day Four
• Write five draft ‘PowerPoint’
presentations on a topic in which you
are an SME.
– Write one every two hours.
– Simple and powerful in content.
– Needs to evoke interest, and capture
attention.
– Depending on topic, 5-20 slides.

33. Day Five
• Revise PowerPoint presentations until at
final edit.
• Have approved by an expert for quality of
content and to ensure grammatically
correct.
• Upload to public sites.
» This will take 2-4 hours total time.

34. Day Six
• Write five draft ‘articles’ on a topic in
which you are an SME.
– Write one every two hours.
– Simple and powerful in content.
– Needs to evoke interest, and capture
attention.
– Needs to impress, not alienate.

35. Day Seven
• Revise ‘articles’ until at final edit.
• Have approved by an expert for
quality of content and to ensure
grammatically correct.
• Upload to public sites.

36. Day Eight
• Mirroring your ‘articles’, develop an
outline to create a video based
version of your ‘articles’.
– This will take 30-60 minutes for each.
• Develop a script to use for each.
– This will take 60-90 minutes for each.

37. Day Nine
• With a backdrop in place and an assistant,
create the video clips.
– This should take 15-60 minutes per clip.
• If necessary, perform any necessary
editing of the video clips.
– This should take 0-60 minutes per clip.
• Upload video clips.
– This should take 15-60 minutes per clip.

38. Sites to upload SME info to:
• http://www.slideshare.net
• http://www.scribd.com
• http://www.docstoc.com
• http://www.readwriteweb.com
• http://www.calameo.com
• http://www.issuu.com
• http://www.smashwords.com

39. More sites to upload SME info to:
• http://www.youtube.com
• http://www.vimeo.com
• http://www.clipshack.com
• http://www.myspace.com
• http://www.slideboom.com
• http://www.slideserve.com
• http://www.powershow.com

40. Day 10
• Incorporate the links from all ‘articles’,
PowerPoint presentations, and
uploaded video clips into:
– Cover letter and resume.
– LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, Google+,
Pinterest.
– Make sure all uploaded content contains
links back to all other content.

41. Day 11
• Blog: Go to www.blogger.com or
another blogging site on the Internet
and create an account.
• You will need to write 3 times per
week to gain an audience.

42. Day 12
• Use the internet and library to become an
expert blogger and use sites like
http://www.bloggingtips.com to become
even better, learning from others mistakes,
and their successes.
• What do you have to blog daily or regularly
to help others? Keep it positive,
passionate, and help others learn more,
and more about you.

43. Day 13
• Twitter: http://www.twitter.com Set up your
account, profile, and what your Twitter
space will look like visually.
• Use the search feature to search on others
you want to follow, & do it!
• Make sure you link your Twitter, Blog, and
LinkedIn account to maximize exposure
and others following you.

44. Twitter: Helpful sites
• http://mashable.com/2009/05/20/twitter-
personal-brand/
• http://www.personalbrandingblog.com/twitt
er-personal-branding-checklist/
• http://altaeeblog.com/100-personal-
branding-experts-to-follow-on-twitter-in-
2010/

45. Day 14
• VLOGS: Take your blog to the next
level, and make it a video based blog.
– With audio and video based content,
you take the benefit of a blog to the next
level.
• http://desktopvideo.about.com/od/videoblog
ging/ht/howtovlog.htm
• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V3PXQ9
uxWFw

46. What to do daily & ongoing.
• When applying for particular jobs, reference
specific links to your virtual SME information
wherever applicable and in all cover letters or
emails.
• Contribute to your blog/vlog, Twitter, LinkedIn,
Facebook, Google+, Pinterest, etc. daily.
• Share original content and content from other
sources.

47. What to do weekly and
ongoing.
• Brainstorm daily on new, innovative
‘articles’, Power Points, and video
clips you can develop and add one
SME topic per week to your
collection.
• Read, read, read. Research,
research, research.

48. Use old fashioned ways to fuel
your success.
• Spread your branding message using
‘others focused’ vehicles.
– Kids based organizations, coaching, etc.
– Faith based organizations.
– Community based organizations.
– Teaching opportunities.
– Political office campaigns.
– Associations and not-for-profit groups.
– Fundraisers.

49. I don’t have the time to do
this!
• For the unemployed, take a look at
how they spend their time in a job
search. They have the time.
http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2
009/07/31/business/20080801-
metrics-graphic.html

50. I don’t have the time to do
this!
• Measure the time you spend clicking,
applying, emailing your resume, and
measure your results at the end of a
week. Then a month.
• There is more than enough time to do
personal branding and the results are
far better!

51. I don’t have the time to do
this!
• If you are working, you are at a huge
disadvantage in a job search. You cannot
be as responsive, cannot interview as
easily, and cannot respond as nimbly.
• Personal branding makes the jobs come to
you. Just be savvy enough to hear the
knock of opportunity.

52. Recommended
Reading
• Me 2.0: Build a Powerful Brand to Achieve Career Success
by Dan Schawbel
• How YOU Are Like Shampoo for College Graduates: The
Complete Personal Branding System to Define, Position, and
Market Yourself and Land a Job You Love by Brenda Bence
• Storytelling about Your Brand: Online and Offline by
Bernadette Martin
• I'm in a Job Search--Now What???: Using LinkedIn,
Facebook, and Twitter as Part of Your Job Search Strategy
(Thinkaha) by Kristen Jacoway and Jason Alba

53. The real question is: What is it that
you want?

54. Do you want this?

55. Or do you want this?

56. On second thought…

57. Don’t just become a light,
become a beacon!
Gregory David (Laka), President
Laka & Company
312-528-9107
greg.david@laka.com
www.laka.com
www.linkedin.com/in/gregdavid
https://twitter.com/gregdavidlaka
www.pinterest.com/gregdavidlaka
www.facebook.com/gregdavidlaka