The MicroTrain Blog

Your professional brand defines how prospective employers and colleagues see you. While a well-maintained brand looks professional and can go a long way toward earning you a callback, a poorly-maintained brand will land your resume in the trash.

But what exactly is a professional brand? And how do you grow one?  

The term “professional brand” is just marketing speak for the impression you make on potential employers and business contacts. While you may not think that you have a brand, the prevalence of social media means you have probably left behind some kind of digital footprint. These bits of data, combined with your reputation and professional network, make up your professional brand.

No Second Chances at a First Impression

Like everything else, brands have gone digital, so it’s imperative that your digital presence make a good first impression. The first thing many business contacts will do after connecting with you is Google your name. The results—good or bad—make up their first impressions of your professional brand.

As a professional, your goal is to manage these search results in a way that supports the essence of your brand. So when a potential employer searches your name, they find a list of accomplishments and not a video of you doing the chicken dance.

Below are five easy steps to get you started on the path toward brand-perfection.

1.    Know Thyself

Before you do anything, take some time to plan out how you want to be perceived. This is your best chance to define yourself. While it might be tempting to make things up as you go along, a cavalier attitude can result in an awkward and disjointed brand. You’ll be surprised by the difference that a little planning can make.

One easy way to start shaping your brand is to create an elevator pitch introducing yourself and the value you offer to prospective organizations. Keep it short (around 30 seconds) and simple. The goal here is to engage your audience and entice them to learn more.

2.    Get Social

After settling on what you want to be, it’s time to spread the word. Your name is your brand, and social networks are the best places to get your name out on the web. By far the most useful social network for job seekers is Linkedin, which most employers view as a virtual resume. Other networks like Facebook and Google+ are important too, but for other reasons that we'll get into later.

Make a Linkedin profile as soon as possible (if you haven’t already) and learn how to use it. Start updating regularly and make sure your professional title is relevant to your chosen industry. Consistency is key; your name and picture should be the same across everything you want associated with your brand.

3.    Keep it Professional

Once you establish your professional profile, you’ll want to keep all those cat pictures of yours from muddling the search results. Make a clear distinction between professional and personal information on the web. Overly personal information associated with your name will damage your brand. If blurry Facebook photos from the pub come up in your search results, you can bet employers will notice.

Most social networks have privacy options that allow you to control what information is available to the public. Take the time to familiarize yourself with these options and hide all information that doesn't enhance your professional brand.

4.    Start Blogging

If you haven’t done it before, blogging can be intimidating, but a well-written post on a topic relevant to your brand shows you understand your industry. Practice makes perfect, so write about what you know as often as possible. You’ll see your writing improve with each post. Plus, the more relevant content you create, the more prospective employers will be impressed by your prominence in your field.

5.    Leave Your Desk Behind

Your digital presence is only part of the brand equation. When it comes to networking, there’s no replacement for an old-fashioned handshake. Attend seminars and workshops in your field, and be sure to make your presence known at job fairs and other events where employers and recruiters might be present.

This is your chance to reinforce the good impressions you made online. Practice your social skills and seal the deal by conducting yourself professionally. Memorize your elevator pitch and use it to make as many new contacts as possible. Be sure to carry business cards and always follow up within a day or two. 

Maintain Control

Cultivating your professional brand is an ongoing process. These tips will get you pointed in the right direction, but it’s important to continue building your brand regularly. Remember to maintain control of your digital presence, so whenever an employer researches you, you won’t be surprised by what they find. 

Photo: Shutterstock

We want to tell you about Christian Cicirale, a charming young man who came to us in September 2012. After eight years at an automobile rental company, Christian worked his way up to branch manager, only to be laid off a year and a half ago. He applied for unemployment and started looking for a new job. Christian hadn't been job hunting in eight years, so even though he thought he was doing everything right, he wasn't finding many jobs that interested him or getting many positive responses from employers. Christian realized he needed help.

He shopped around and chose MicroTrain because we offered job search and placement assistance as well as career services classes, like resume and LinkedIn workshops. He added technical skills and certifications to his resume by taking classes at MicroTrain, but Christian says the job search assistance and tools he developed were most valuable.

In January of 2013, one year after his lay-off, Christian landed a great job at a college admissions office. He says the job isn’t strictly in the IT field, but he couldn’t be happier. Christian credits everything he learned at MicroTrain with helping him get the job.

“I love MicroTrain and all the people there who helped me so much. I would work there but I have a job”, said Christian. His MicroTrain program manager said that it was a pleasure to work with Christian and his positive attitude and perseverance were the keys to his success.

Christian recently underwent treatment and physical rehabilitation for medical issues with his back. Fortunately he’ll be as good as new in no time, due in no small part to the exceptional support of his employer. Christian is very grateful for all the help MicroTrain staff has given him and credits their patience and knowledgeable encouragement with giving him the tools and confidence to get back to a job he loves.