That Awkward Personal Branding – Improving your LinkedIn Profile

Gone are the days of anonymity, to be successful in 2018, you have to embrace personal branding. I’ve had quite a few people ask me for help with their LinkedIn profiles. They have asked where to start, what to do and what to say. The exchange generally begins with reluctance to include a photo and is followed by a hesitation to post projects or examples of their work. As for the summary statement, well that conversation usually requires a strong coffee or glass of wine.

Given the number of tools, hints and prompts LinkedIn gives to users to enhance profiles, I’ve often wondered why anyone would have an incomplete or weak profile.  But after years of giving advice (solicited and otherwise) I realize it all comes down to personal branding. People want help because it’s weird tooting your own horn in public. It’s not so much that the concept of personal branding is new as much as it’s new to most of us.  Hollywood stars, corporate leaders and political candidates to name a few, worry about personal branding and so they should, but the rest of us?  Well, we may want to maintain our good reputations but we never had to take out an ad to do it and it feels weird, awkward…like bragging, but with more reach.

In the past, resumes were generally discreet documents.  They were shared with potential employers and human resources employees, they weren’t posted for just anyone to look at.  Now we have LinkedIn and it can provide far more information about us than any resume ever has.  What’s more, potential employers are eating it up.  HR professionals will often look at your LinkedIn profile before they even consider looking at your resume.

It’s also where colleagues go to find you.  Unlike Facebook, there’s no awkward role confusion. I don’t generally want to talk about my weekend with my LinkedIn contacts.  So, when people ask for help with their LinkedIn sites, they are generally looking for the public relations support that used to be the purview celebrities.

Clever photographers have figured it out and will offer suggestions to clients for the perfect LinkedIn photo. Automated graphic design companies are offering the use of programs that can transform all that information into a poster, which can be added to your profile. Perhaps it’s inevitable that communications people would start to assess and suggest how to achieve a better digital persona. In any case, I would suggest this:

  • Be honest: The same rules apply to LinkedIn as apply to resumes, times ten.  If you include false information on your LinkedIn page, someone, somewhere will spot it and talk about it.  I’ve had no less than four people approach me about a particular persons “inaccurate” LinkedIn page. I use the word inaccurate, they used words like, liar, faker, self-centred, conceited, who does that jerk think …well you get the picture.  That can have a serious impact on your reputation, the very thing you are trying to protect and promote.
  • Provide brief descriptions of your roles: Do include a brief description of the jobs you held. Titles can bear little resemblance to the work we actually do. For instance, one of my old titles was Senior Director Communications and Relations.  If I asked fifty people to tell me what they thought I did, I’d be lucky if I only got back 50 descriptions and amazed if any of them actually resembled my job.
  • Use the summary to differentiate yourself: Do take the opportunity to use the summary option. It is a chance to share a little about your personal style and your intentions, not to mention a great opportunity to make the different pieces of your background come together. This is your chance to define yourself in a few words.

Feel free to take a look at mine, it may actually prompt me to update it.

  • Engage with peers and potential clients: Engage in some of LinkedIn’s communities or groups that fit you.  Aside from expanding your professional network, and accessing useful information, you will meet some amazing people.There is more to personal branding than LinkedIn.  It’s an easy and obvious tool, but consider making it a gateway to other things like personal projects, blogs/websites, PowerPoints, YouTube offerings, your imagination will provide the limits.
  • Don’t be shy: My best piece of advice is, don’t be shy. There are no prizes for the most modest LinkedIn page and no potential or current employer, client or colleague is looking at your profile to see how mediocre you are, so take the opportunity to shine and show your best sides. Showing your best includes always taking the time to be polite on LinkedIn’s various communities.
  • Ask for advice: If it feels really weird then ask a friend or colleague to help you fill it out so you don’t let unhelpful modesty get the best of you.  Don’t forget to look to LinkedIn itself for best practices and tips. There are professional services like storeylineresumes.com who can help you with your resume and your LinkedIn profile.

    Above all, think about the old Dove commercial slogan,  you’re more beautiful than you think.

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26 Personal Vision Questions

26 questions on personal vision

Vision boards surged in popularity for a few years and I often thought about creating one.  In fact, I still see posts from local business groups inviting people to come develop their personal vision boards.  I’ll admit I’m bit sceptical, the research suggests that vision boards are only effective if they are also supported by plans for how to achieve these goals.

I do believe having a personal vision is important and for my own life, things tend to “fall into place”  when I’m operating with a vision. Having a vision for our lives allows us to put our personal power behind how we spend our time, the work we do and ultimately the level of satisfaction we have in our lives. A vision gives you a path to follow Developing a personal vision is about stepping back and determining what you really want so that you can take the time to achieve it. Your personal vision shouldn’t be a vague description of your daydreams, but instead, it should help to focus your time, attention and energy towards achieving those things you consider important.

The biggest challenge with developing a strong personal vision is answering hard questions and always looking to ask more.

Some suggested questions to get you started:

  1. What themes consistently run through your life?
  2. What are the five or ten things you enjoy doing the most?
  3. What makes you lose track of time?
  4. If you had to teach something, what would you teach?
  5. What do you care about the most or what values do you hold?
  6. What makes you feel good about yourself?
  7. Who inspires you?
  8. What do people usually ask you for help with?
  9. What does your ideal work embody?
  10. Do you have colleagues?
  11. Are your colleagues brainstorming and laughing?
  12. Who are they?
  13. Do you have any direct reports?
  14. Who do you report to?
  15. Do you work for yourself?
  16. What kinds of projects are you working on? Are they huge, small or a blend?
  17. What do you need to do each day in order for you to feel fulfilled?
  18. What skill sets have you acquired?
  19. What does your workspace look like?
  20. What strengths do you see in yourself?
  21. What challenges have you overcome in the past?
  22. What do you see as your work weaknesses?
  23. What do you see as your personal weaknesses?
  24. What weaknesses have others identified?
  25. What would you regret not doing if your life were ending?
  26. What strengths do others see in you?

Really dig into what makes you tick. The more questions that you pose, the more likely you are to come away with an effective personal vision.  For instance, you may want to influence people, make their lives better.  You might envision yourself up on stage or you might be out interacting with the public, but if you don’t want people prying into your personal life, you may want to think about being a professional speaker versus being a politician. If you want to be a professional speaker, what topics are you going to speak about?

Focus on the positive. Rather than building a vision based on running from those things that disturb you.  Embrace those things that engage you.

The next challenge is to take your questions externally. Talk to people you respect and trust and ask them what they think would be required to make your vision a reality. Ask them what jobs they think might suit you. Once you have a clearer idea of what you want and what it takes to get there, you can start planning for it.

Related Posts:

25 Questions for Setting Organizational Vision 

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