The concept of c-level personal branding seems simple enough, yet some professionals don’t quite understand the ins-and-outs of it. Personal branding is an ongoing process that can take years to develop, but only seconds to destroy completely. It’s impossible to boost your personal brand if you don’t make a conscious effort to make your name known throughout your industry and beyond. You could start with developing your LinkedIn profile, attending networking events or other functions. However, the real secrets to personal branding involve differentiating yourself and being completely authentic in everything you do.
Differentiate Yourself
The idea of personal branding for senior level managers involves communicating the unique characteristics you offer to any individual or organization. The idea of differentiating yourself isn’t a new concept, but it’s one that often gets overlooked. Companies today always look for a candidate who stands out when they are in the hiring process. When you target and identify exactly what companies are looking for, then you can compare those needs to what you offer and present them in a unique way to differentiate yourself from the candidate pool. Differentiation is a key component of c-level personal branding.
Writing Can Demonstrate Your Personal Brand
Whether it’s on your LinkedIn profile, your resume, your personal blog or any other content, what you write and how you write it can demonstrate your personal brand. Your content should clearly show your expertise, the values you bring, your leadership style and what sets you apart from other people who have similar levels of expertise. As long as you are consistent in your writing, every single piece of content you publish will provide a boost to your c-level personal branding.
Always Be Authentic
In the world of technology and automation today, it’s easy to get away from authenticity. When you have to write your resume or LinkedIn profile by using certain keywords to be recognized, you could end up drifting away from your natural brand. The best thing to do is write and speak authentically and you’ll never have to question yourself or answer any tough questions. There are many different ways to make yourself stand out, but if you don’t do it authentically, then you aren’t doing yourself or anyone else any favors. Professional Resume Services understands the importance of personal branding for senior level managers. While our name suggest we are experts in resume writing, our expertise goes far beyond just resumes. We want to help executives boost their personal branding to give them a better chance at landing the jobs they desire. To learn more about personal branding and how to set yourself apart, don’t hesitate to reach out to us at any time.
Too many executives today aren’t getting the results they expected as they go through their job search. Most of those times, the job seeker either didn’t prepare enough or prepared the wrong ways. When you visit executive resume writing services, the importance of a strong resume will be stressed. However, it will also be expressed that a quality resume isn’t the only thing to help you land an interview. There are many different variables in any given job search today, so here are three ways to help you prepare.
Identify Organizations of Interest
Targeting your job search is the number one thing executive resume writing services will tell you. Without a target, you have nothing to aim for. Make a list of a dozen or so organizations you have interest in working for. Once you develop your list, narrow it down by researching each company individually to ensure there’s the possibility of a mutual fit. Take note of the culture, the qualities, skill sets required and more. You can eliminate some organizations quickly and focus on the ones that seem like the best fit for both sides.
Know What You Bring To The Table
You may have years of experience, but your next employer wants to know what value you bring to them. Through your own LinkedIn profile development, take a look at the profiles of employees of the companies you’re interested in. See what skill sets they have and how they present them in their profile. These can give you some good ideas to start from or build on if you have similar experiences. Being able to present relevant skill sets will help you stand out on your resume, LinkedIn profile, when networking or anywhere else.
Focus on Personal Branding
The concept of personal branding for senior level managers is more important now than ever before. Employers want to hire executives who are leaders, will fit into the culture and bring innovative ideas to the workplace. You can boost your personal brand by focusing on your LinkedIn profile development and demonstrating unique soft skills. Your confidence in your personal brand will be clearly evident in your writing and speech, and will help you stand out. Professional Resume Services is here to help executives at any part of the job search process. Preparation is critical for any job search, and not spending enough time on it can lead to results you don’t necessarily want. Our executive resume writing services will provide you with assistance every step of the way, so never hesitate to reach out to us for assistance.
Posting LinkedIn Updates is Key to Personal Branding
Utilizing LinkedIn to the fullest extent is more important than many executives realize. In fact, many professionals aren’t aware of the value of posting LinkedIn updates, which is different from updating your profile. LinkedIn updates give you the opportunity to let your network know what’s going on in your professional life. When it comes to c-level personal branding, the more your name is visible with your connections, the easier it will be for them to remember you and see you as a successful professional. Here are some ways LinkedIn updates can boost your c-level personal branding.
Stay Top-of-Mind With Your Connections
The old saying “out-of-sight, out-of-mind” is true when you’re talking about personal branding as well. The more your connections see your name, the more likely they will be to click on your profile to see exactly what you’re up to. Before advertising your LinkedIn profile, be sure you’ve visited a LinkedIn profile writing service so it is optimized for viewing. The only thing to remember is you don’t want to post so many updates that your name popping up becomes an annoyance. I see those on there from time to time and scroll on by–especially if they are opinion pieces and not a helpful/interesting post. Making one or two LinkedIn updates every week is a great habit to get into.
Types of Updates to Make
So what exactly is included in a LinkedIn update. Unlike other platforms like Facebook and Twitter, you don’t want to post about your vacation or anything else you’re doing in your personal life. Instead focus on things like:
A new professional project you’re undergoing
A new blog you’ve written
A new assignment within your current job
A new certification you’ve received
A professional seminar you’ll be attending soon
A significant achievement made in your company
Keep your updates professional and you’ll be boosting your c-level personal branding every time you post one.
Updates Don’t Have To Be Job Search Related
LinkedIn updates can be utilized whether you’re actively searching for a job or not. Just because you’ve updated your executive profile doesn’t necessarily mean you’re advertising yourself for new opportunities. And if you are in an active job search while currently employed, it’s important to remember to keep your posts neutral so it doesn’t appear as if you are searching for a new job. You are a professional in your industry, so there’s never any harm in updating your network with your accomplishments or achievements. You can also use LI to share different articles you’ve read or comment on posts and articles that pertain to your field, showcasing your expertise. Professional Resume Services is more than just a service that writes resumes for executives. We also help out with job searching strategies and how to boost personal branding efforts. Our LinkedIn profile writing service could be beneficial to your efforts, so never hesitate to reach out to us if you have any questions or need advice on how to utilize this powerful platform most effectively.
Every executive has heard and knows about the importance of c-level personal branding. With all else being equal when it comes to experience and expertise, it is a person’s personal brand that sets them apart from the rest. Whether you’re actively seeking a new job or if you’re interested in advancing even further in your career, using personal branding to your advantage can help you get there. Here are some tips on how personal branding for senior level managers can be used effectively.
Boost Your Reputation Within Your Industry
Every industry has a network, and people within the network have different impressions of people. So if you have a great personal brand and people recognize it, it won’t take long before your reputation gets a boost throughout your industry. You can use this reputation boost to your advantage by seeking leadership opportunities, speaking at engagements, hosting networking events or any other opportunities that arise. Once you’ve established quality c-level personal branding, your options for continuing to improve your reputation are unlimited.
Make Contacts Outside Your Current Professional Network
Your executive bio may indicate you’re an expert in a specific industry, but your personal brand can lead to professional connections outside of your network as well. This gives you the opportunity to broaden your views on business and many other aspects, and could give you more ideas for your own job. Plus, certain industries like to get advice from professionals in an unrelated industry just to see how operations work. The larger your network is outside of your own industry, the more opportunities you will have to grow your personal brand as large as you desire. You can never have too many connections across any industry, and the better your c-level personal branding is, the more naturally the connections will be made.
Use Self-Confidence to Your Advantage
If nothing else, personal branding for senior level managers can provide a major boost in self-confidence. Use this self-confidence to your advantage by standing by your decisions in any aspect of your career and becoming a resource for others within your industry. Complete self-confidence is rare, even among executives, so once you develop it, there are plenty of opportunities for you to boost your brand even more. Professional Resume Services goes beyond simply writing a resume for professionals. It is a big part of what we do, but we also look at the big picture to help executives with their careers. Whether it’s boosting professional branding through networking or simply creating an executive bio anyone will be impressed with, we are here to help. Be sure to contact us at any time for more tips on how personal branding can be used to your advantage.
The Top Ways to Safeguard Your Executive Online Brand
You can significantly help your executive job search if you have a positive online brand. Many employers today will do an online search for a candidate’s name. If you have a lot of negative things about you, or don’t have much of an online presence, you’ll hurt your chances of landing an interview. The importance level of personal branding for senior level managers is very high. Companies want to hire executives with a positive online brand, since they are viewed as an advocate for the company. Here are some of the top ways you can safeguard your executive online brand to ensure you have a positive image.
Search For Your Name Online
You should do an online search for your name at least once a week. The best way to protect and enhance your c-level personal branding is to know what information is out on the Internet for everyone to see. If a potential employer is going to search for you online, you should also take the time to do it yourself and clean up anything you don’t want to show up in the results.
Your Online Brand Backs Up Your Claims
If you’ve already talked to a potential employer, chances are they are going to search for you online to see if they can verify any claims you made. Don’t tell them you worked for a certain company or have a certain level of experience if it’s not displayed on your LinkedIn profile or other places. Even worse, inaccurate or contradictory information will deem you as being untrustworthy and can damage your personal brand even more.
Have A Professional Social Media Presence
The best way to enhance personal branding for senior level managers is to have a positive and professional social media presence. Employers today look for candidates who are active on social media, so they can be valuable for finding new business or even new candidates. A positive social media presence is critical for c-level personal branding today, so don’t take it lightly. Be active as much as you can and always portray yourself as a professional. Professional Resume Services is here to help you, whether you need assistance in writing an effective resume or improving your personal brand. Our experienced professionals can help you with every step of your job search process, so never hesitate to call or email us at any time for assistance.
How Executive Personal Branding Affects Your Executive Career
Working on your personal brand is more important now than ever before. Executives have typically considered their c-level personal branding as being associated with and representing the company they work for. However, the notion has shifted into marketing yourself as a person rather than as a part of a company. When you work for a company, you still need to brand them as part of your job. The key is to also know when the right time is to work on yourself as well. Not doing so could hurt your long-term executive career prospects. Here are a few ways executive personal branding affects your executive career.
Establish Yourself as an Expert
When you focus on c-level personal branding, you can establish yourself as an expert in a particular industry, rather than for a specific company. Portraying yourself as the go-to executive for many different issues can be very valuable for your career. People need someone to rely on, and if you have the expertise, branding yourself as the person they can rely on can define you in that way.
Learn More About Yourself And Your Goals
Executive personal branding goes beyond writing an effective resume. It’s easy to portray yourself in a different light when you’re representing a company, even when you know it’s not the true you. How you brand yourself could give some insight into your own self, your value, worth and what you’re capable of.
Get Feedback From Peers to Improve Your Brand and Career
One of the best ways to improve c-level personal branding is to always seek feedback from colleagues and peers. You may believe you are taking all the right steps to market yourself appropriately, but you don’t know how you are perceived by others unless you ask someone you trust. Most executives won’t volunteer this information to you, so asking for feedback could open your eyes to some changes you need to make when representing yourself.
Link Your Online Brand With Your Personal Brand
You could be hurting yourself if the person you say you are online doesn’t match the person you are in real life. When you optimize your LinkedIn profile, don’t just write things to make yourself sound good. People will read your LinkedIn profile and have a general perception about you. That perception has to come close to matching in real life, so be sure the two are linked closely and accurately. At Professional Resume Services, we always work with executives wanting to improve their personal brand. We understand the importance of personal branding when it comes to career advancement, job searching and other aspects. Feel free to contact us if you need any tips or advice on branding or any other aspect of your executive career.
When many people think about building a brand, they think about actual companies promoting their brand to drive business. However, executives today have to build their own personal brand as well. Building your brand online can take a significant amount of time and effort, and it won’t happen overnight. Your online brand is how people perceive you in real life, so it’s worth taking c-level personal branding seriously. Here are some of the best ways you can build your brand online.
Be Active on Social Media, But Not Too Active
Social media is great for building your executive brand, but it can also come crashing down in a hurry if you aren’t careful. You also want to limit the amount of platforms you use to just a few so you don’t spread yourself too thin. Having too many social media accounts to manage can become overwhelming very quick. When it comes to your level of activity on social media, you always want to keep your brand in mind. Any time you think about posting something, consider whether it hurts or helps your brand. By considering this every time, you’ll manage your level of activity and only post relevant items reinforcing what you want to be known for.
Embrace LinkedIn
Having a strong executive LinkedIn profile is possibly the best way to build your brand online. One of the first places recruiters go to find executives is LinkedIn. If your LinkedIn profile needs some serious updates, you may consider looking into a service to help you. You definitely won’t be able to build your brand online the right way if you don’t use and embrace LinkedIn.
Use Strategic Keywords to Get Discovered
Keywords on your LinkedIn profile or other online platforms can help you get discovered. This also means you have to be extremely careful about what you post online. There is no separating personal matters from business matters online, so everything you say is tied to your overall brand.
Always Reinforce What You Want to be Known For
Every executive has unique qualities, including you. When you’ve determined what those qualities are, emphasize them on your LinkedIn profile, your resume and anywhere else. This reinforcement can help with your c-level personal branding and help you get recognized by the right people and companies. Professional Resume Services thrives in helping people build their brand online. Whether it’s updating your executive LinkedIn profile, optimizing your resume or brainstorming new branding strategies, we are here to help. Feel free to contact us at any time for assistance on building and maintaining your brand online.
If Nobody Knows You Are An Expert, You Are Invisible
One of the assumptions about executives and those higher on the career ladder is that they have expertise in their field. The problem is, people have to realize you have that expertise. Your plan for your business, career, or any kind of future acknowledgement really needs to include ways to show the world you know what you are talking about. Fortunately, it is easier today than it’s ever been to establish yourself as an authority: an expert in your field.
Ways To Establish Your Authority As An Expert
Write a book. This is so easy with e-books because you can self-publish right away and update as needed. And the benefits are huge: you “must be an expert” because you wrote a book or two. It’s also a good way to let potential employers know what your expertise is, and it looks impressive on an executive resume.
Be a great blogger. Writing consistent and useful content builds up an audience of readers who welcome your next post because it helps them somehow. If you are sharing your insights and making a difference in your reader’s lives, you are building a reputation for expertise. You are proving your expert status with every post.
Utilize online networks. Whether it’s LinkedIn profile development and posting regularly, guest blogging, Google+, or taking thoughtful part in online discussions, there’s an impression being made about who you are. Make it a positive and authoritative impression and there will be lots of good reasons to see you as an expert in your field.
Curate content carefully. Link to authoritative sites or articles and share your expert opinion on the information. Create a reputable source for research in your industry.
When you think about it, this is marketing. You are in the business of selling yourself as a well-deserved expert in your field by getting the message out to the people who need what you offer. Anyone who aspires to become an executive or any type of professional needs to be seen as an expert, or nobody sees them at all.
Differentiate Yourself
